1. 1795 -- Napoleon offers 12,000 francs to anyone who can devise a way to preserve food for his army and navy.
2. 1809 -- Nicolas Appert of France devises a way to preserving food in bottles. Wins prize preserving food by sterilization.
3. 1810 -- Peter Durand of England gets a patent using pottery, glass and tinplated iron to use in canning.
4. 1812 -- A small plant started by in New York cans oysters, meats, fruits and vegetables in hermetically sealed containers.
5. 1818 -- Peter Durand introduces his tinplated can in America.
6. 1819 -- Thomas Kensett and Ezra begin to sell products in canned tinplate cans.
7. 1825 -- Thomas Kensett obtains an American patent for tinplated cans.
8. 1830 -- Huntly and Palmer sell biscuits and cakes in decorated cans.
9. 1849 -- Henry Evans given a patent making cans by machine. Production increases from 5-6 cans per hour to 50-60 per hour.
10. 1856 -- Henry Bessmer discovers method of making steel from cast iron.
11. 1856 -- Gail Borden granted a patent on canned condensed milk.
12. 1858 -- Ezra Warner granted a patent on first can opener.
13. 1858 -- American John Mason invents a practical glass jar for home canning.
14. 1866 -- J Osterhoudt patents the tin can with a key opener.

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