What scientific principle was Appert lacking while successfully perfecting his heat processing method around 1809?
Answer
Germ theory
Nicolas Appert’s success was rooted in empirical observation and diligent trial-and-error experimentation; he understood *that* heating sealed food worked, but not the underlying biological mechanism. At the time of his breakthrough, the understanding of microorganisms responsible for decay, known today as germ theory, had not yet been established. This scientific foundation would only be confirmed much later through the work of Louis Pasteur. Appert inadvertently achieved sterilization by killing the spoilage agents through sufficient heat application, long before science could explain the existence or behavior of bacteria and other microbes.
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Related Questions
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