What material did Nicolas Appert primarily use in his initial method to seal food before heat processing?
Answer
Corks, secured with string and covered with a sealing compound like wax or lead
Appert’s original technique relied heavily on available materials suitable for sealing thick glass bottles. He inserted food items and then sealed the opening using corks. To ensure the seal was robust enough to withstand the subsequent boiling process without leaking or allowing air ingress, the corks were physically secured using strong string. Finally, a sealing compound, often described as being made from wax or lead, was applied over the cork and string assembly. This combination created the necessary hermetic barrier that allowed the heat treatment to be effective in preserving the contents.
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