Excerpt from Home and Farm Food PreservationSince early historical time food preservation has been second only in importance to food production. Grapes and other fruits were dried by the ancients to preserve them; fruit juices were fermented to make wines and vinegars; cereals and vegetables were stored to protect them against moisture and decay; olives were preserved by salting; and meats were salted, dried, and smoked. The use of sugar and vinegar in preserving fruits and vegetables came later. The preservation of foods by sterilization in sealed containers is a development of the nineteenth century and dates from its discovery by Nicholas Appert in France about 1800. Cold storage, as a means of preserving all perishable products, has, during the past century, developed into a very great industry.Three billion cans of food, valued retail at $600,000,000, were sold in the United States in 1916. The meat packing and cold storage industries compare favorably with the canning industries in size. The wholesale value of the raisin crop in California is over $10,000,000 annually. The other dried fruit industries are smaller but their aggregate value amounts to many millions of dollars yearly in the United States. From this, the importance of commercial food preservation may be seen.Commercial food preservation cares for the bulk of the food products but beside the food so preserved, there are many millions of jars and cans of fruits and vegetables, glasses of jellies, jams, and marmalades and many thousands of hams and bacons "put up," by the housewife and farmer. Much food that would otherwise be wasted is saved and in addition a varied diet throughout the year at low cost is made available in many homes.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com