Zija's Uncle Russ

In the late 18th century, French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte offered a cash reward to anyone who could develop a reliable method to preserve food — and keep Napoleon’s armies fed. Fifteen years later, French confectioner Nicholas Appert won the prize with his method of heating food and sealing it in an airtight container.

More than 100 years ago, 2 pioneering scientists figured out how to keep canned food safe