When a tomato is still edible after being stored in the refrigerator for half a month, what is your first reaction? This refrigerator has a really good preservation effect. It hasn’t gone bad for half a month? This tomato can really be stored for half a month without any problem. My first reaction is that there is a quality problem with this tomato. If it is not bad after being stored for half a month, how much preservatives must be added?

There is a scene in the Anti-Japanese War drama "My Brother's Name is Shunliu" that left a deep impression on me. When Chen Dalei, the commander of the New Fourth Army's military division, entertained the friendly commander Liu with a canned beef seized from the Japanese army, he ended up eating it in his mouth. It turned out that these cans were very unpalatable and almost unpalatable. Commander Liu jokingly said, "This cow must have been mated with a mule."

In fact, the canned food at that time was no longer canned beef, but was made of cow blood and miscellaneous grains. Chen Dalei used the so-called canned beef to judge that Japan was short of war supplies and that the war could not last long.

Cans are a must-have material for almost any army, not only in Japan and the United States. Later, the United States also provided many cans to the Chinese army.

Cans are easy to carry and easy to eat. In a harsh environment like the battlefield, they are a very good material.

During World War II, the Japanese army’s supply of cans was still very stable. Many museums now display Japanese military cans from the war. The Japanese say that these cans are still safe to eat. Of course, there are no people who are really willing to try it.

Why does Japan dare to claim that their canned food is still edible?

Food spoilage is mainly due to the survival of microorganisms. As long as there is a suitable temperature, canned food is a natural culture medium and will multiply rapidly, causing food to spoil.

Whether the can will deteriorate depends mainly on the sealing condition.

The canning production process is mainly divided into five links: raw material pretreatment-canning and pre-sealing-exhaust-sealing-sterilization and cooling.

As we all know, Japan is very particular about its manufacturing industry. It is known as the spirit of craftsmanship. In the process of high-temperature sterilization, it can destroy all kinds of microorganisms remaining on the surface of food.

After the final sealing step, the can is completely isolated from the air. Without air entering, there will be no microorganisms in the can. In other words: "The can can be kept forever It is fresh and will not expire, which is why military cans can be stored for a long time.

This also reflects the level of Japan's military industry at that time. It was such advanced and developed military industry technology that allowed them to be in the market. It showed such a strong power during World War II.

In fact, this set of processes is applicable to any industrial process, but why can’t today’s cans be stored for decades without deterioration? As for the situation, this is actually caused by the imprecision of industry.

During World War II, Hiroshima, Japan was hit by an atomic bomb. It has been 73 years, and someone is actually there. In the secret warehouse of the Japanese Navy, several boxes of military cans carried by Japan during the war were found. After seeing the cans, they found that the production period of these cans was actually 1944. It was later discovered that experts used hot water to heat these cans. , after opening it, it turned out to be red beans and glutinous rice. The red beans and glutinous rice in the cans were very well preserved. After a series of research and inspections, it was found that these cans were actually edible. So why are these cans from 1944 still edible? When it comes to food, is it that a lot of preservatives are added?

First of all, during a war, it is of course unrealistic to light a fire to cook when you take a break, so you need something to store food. To solve this problem, canned food was invented, but during a war, no one knew when the war would be over, so the time to eat was definitely uncertain, and in a war, whether it tastes good or not is not important at all. Survival is the most important thing, so as long as they can eat enough, soldiers have no requirements on the taste of food, and this kind of canned food has become a very good choice.

During World War II, the quantity and quality of Japanese canned food preparations were quite good. Many museums in Japan displayed such things. The Japanese said that these were really It is edible and can be eaten with confidence. We all know that if a food is stored for a long time, microorganisms will affect the quality of the food, and if the temperature and environment are not extremely harsh, the microorganisms will quickly If they multiply, the food will go bad.

The process of making cans includes food processing, canning and pre-sealing, and then exhausting, removing all the air inside, and then sealing. Such a series of operations, It can maintain a sealed environment inside the can. After the final sealing, even microorganisms cannot enter the can, and the can can be preserved. Such cans will naturally not be contaminated.

Because during World War II, people already knew that microorganisms would affect the deterioration and corruption of food, making it no longer edible, so canning was used to solve meal preparations during the war. Japan has very strict standards for canned food that needs to be eaten during the war, so these boxes of canned food have been preserved until now.

The Japanese army was able to explode with such amazing combat effectiveness in the early days of World War II, mainly because their military system was very advanced, and their equipment was very good. No country in Asia could be stronger than them. .

Therefore, in the early days of the battlefield, their troops were like the autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves. Soon the Japanese set their sights on China. In the past, they had always regarded China as their suzerain country, but as their strength increased, Starting from the Northeast, Japan launched a full-scale war of aggression against China. China's army at that time was not at the same level as their strength.

But Japan has a big problem, that is, their military is strong enough, but they have no way to protect their logistics. Japan is a relatively small country, and it is different from other big countries in terms of resources and other aspects. They are all very scarce. If they want to support a huge war, they must ensure good logistics. Otherwise, there is no way for them to fight better in the war.

Japan is also very aware of its own situation, so before launching a war, they are prepared to fight quickly. After all, with their current strength, they can resolve the battle in a short time. This is Japan's The same characteristics as Germany.

After all, a country's resources are limited, and it is really difficult to expect them to launch a world war. Japan did not expect that they were getting deeper and deeper into the battlefield in China, and the Japanese army had to invest heavily in its own army logistics. Generally, when the Japanese army went to war, it mainly carried military supplies, among which the most common type of food was , which is a military can.

The emergence of cans has made the logistics support of armies of various countries smoother. The Japanese army also likes some military cans very much. The quality of their army cans is still very good. In order to allow the army to fight better on the battlefield, Japan They also provide their soldiers with big fish and meat.

Later, people accidentally discovered some military cans sealed in an abandoned warehouse in Hiroshima. At that time, Hiroshima suffered an atomic bomb attack and the entire city was destroyed. However, these cans were lucky enough to not be affected by the explosion, and they have been sealed in the warehouse until now.

In later ruins, people found these sealed cans. These cans were produced in 1944 and contained mainly red beans and glutinous rice. As the war continued, Japan was seriously short of supplies. It is impossible to eat big fish and meat every day, so when these cans were discovered, more than 70 years had passed since they were produced.

However, after testing, some experts also found that these cans were still edible at this time. When the cans were opened, the red beans and glutinous rice inside were still fresh and showed no signs of deterioration.

Later, after experts tested it, they said that these materials had not deteriorated and could still be eaten. This is very surprising. After such a long time, these cans are still edible. Logically speaking, after so many years, the cans should have deteriorated long ago.

I think the most important factor is that these cans have been in a closed state for a long time, isolated from the air and not exposed to the outside environment, so they can naturally be preserved forever.

In addition, the Japanese army’s canned production technology was still in place at the time. During the war, the army’s material support was very in place. In everything, the best supplies should be given priority to the army. These canned goods The production level is also very high.

This is the best reflection. However, although these cans are edible, many people still think that these cans are inedible. Of course, no one dares to try them casually. After all, no one will I believe these cans are edible.

This type of canned food is rarely found elsewhere, and the cans at that time are considered antiques now. However, this type of cans are not always able to last for such a long time. The batch of cans in Hiroshima have just been produced, and the other cans have not yet been preserved.

Therefore, it does not have much reference value, but the technology of Japanese can production is still worth learning. This also reflects their advanced military production level at that time. It is such advanced and developed military technology that can Let them show such strength in World War II.

You may think that it is a bit exaggerated that cans made more than 70 years ago are still edible, but there was news last year that a young American military fan bravely tried a can produced during the Boer War in 1899. Although this thing It has a history of 118 years, but the young man still bravely ate it, saying that it tasted like low-quality beef and beans. Probably because it had been eaten for too long, it tasted like chewing wood chips and earth. Speaking of which, the cans produced in 1944 were produced 45 years later than the ones this American boy ate. Production technology has also improved, so it is not surprising that they are edible. Of course, the taste may not be very good.

Canned food was invented during the Napoleonic period. At that time, Napoleon issued a reward to solve the food problem of the army during long-term battles abroad. Finally, someone invented canned food. The principle of canned food is actually very simple, that is, the food is sterilized at high temperature and then sealed to avoid contact between the food and the air. In this way, because the food in the jar does not come into contact with external bacteria, the shelf life will naturally be longer.

Moreover, when making military cans, it is considered that the physical exertion of soldiers is generally greater than that of ordinary people, so they are usually high in oil and salt, and foods high in oil and salt can inhibit the growth of bacteria. During World War II, there was no concept of food health. The addition of preservatives and other things was much more relaxed than now. In addition, military food was generally stored in better conditions than at home, so the shelf life was correspondingly longer.

Of course, although canned food has a long shelf life, it also has a certain period. It does not mean that it can be stored indefinitely. It will deteriorate over time, or it may only be theoretically edible, but sincerely Not recommended to try.

Hiroshima, Japan, was devastated by the atomic bomb during World War II. More than 70 years later, someone actually found several boxes of cans in a secret Japanese Navy warehouse here. The production date on the cans was actually 1944. Later, Experts heated the can with hot water, and after opening it, they found red beans and glutinous rice inside. The red beans and rice grains were well preserved. After further inspection, experts found that the glutinous rice was still edible. The canned food has not deteriorated after being stored for so long. Could it be that preservatives were added?

In fact, Japanese cans do not deteriorate because they are sealed and sterilized very well, and it has nothing to do with preservatives. In the mid-to-late 19th century, people knew that food decay is caused by microbial reproduction and chemical reactions in food. Therefore, if food is not to deteriorate in the short term, it must be isolated from the outside world.

Japan undergoes high-temperature sterilization when making cans, and seals them after production. In addition, these cans are military supplies, and they attach great importance to these two processes, so that the inside of the cans will last for a long time. It is in a sterile environment, so the cans are still intact. Japan’s meticulous spirit of doing things is worth learning from.

Military cans are small in size, easy to transport and carry, and have good nutritional structure. They play an important role in the field of military food. During World War II, the canning technology in the United States was quite mature, and their animal husbandry was developed, so soldiers could eat the best canned meat. Although Japan had canning technology, its animal husbandry was backward and its fish resources were abundant. It can produce canned fish on its own, but can only rely on imported canned meat. After the war between Japan and the United States, Japan could no longer import high-quality canned meat, and replaced it with whole grains and pig blood.

In "Bright Sword", Zhang Dabiao boasted that he could eat canned Japanese beef every day in order to show off the large amount of supplies he had seized. Canned food was one of the main foods for the Japanese army during World War II. Because it was difficult to supply on the battlefield and fresh meat was easy to spoil, the Japanese army stocked a large number of canned goods. After the atomic bomb exploded in Hiroshima, many places were abandoned due to radiation. Among them was a material warehouse for storing cans. At the end of the last century, some Japanese came to the material warehouse and found that there were still many seals inside. of canned food. When the Japanese opened the cans, they found that the meat inside was still fresh. After testing, they found that the meat had not deteriorated at all and was still edible.

These Japanese cans were produced in 1944, which is more than 70 years ago. It has still not deteriorated after so many years, mainly because of the manufacturing principle of cans. Today's cans are vacuum-treated first, then high-temperature sterilized, and finally put on the market. The technological level at that time was not as developed as it is now, and cans could only undergo two processes: sealing, packaging and high-temperature sterilization. The function of high-temperature sterilization is to kill the bacteria inside the can. The sealing process prevents the can from coming into contact with bacteria on the outside. This creates a sterile environment inside the can and prevents it from coming into contact with bacteria that can cause food spoilage.

In fact, as long as these two processes are done perfectly, it is enough to prevent bacteria. Some people want to ask, why can the cans still suffer from corruption now that they can achieve vacuum technology? This is mainly due to the gap in sealing technology. The shelf life of current cans is relatively short, and the technical requirements for sealing are relatively low. The cans at that time needed to be carried on the battlefield for a long time, and might even be used for one or two years. The requirements for sealing were very high.

Not only cans found in Japan are like this, but Japanese cans from 1942 have been unearthed in China, and they are still as fresh as ever after opening them. Due to being buried underground for a long time, the outer shell of the can has been severely damaged, but it still maintains excellent sealing properties. Some experts also said that the meat in these cans can still be eaten normally. However, most friends still cannot accept this delicacy that came from more than 70 years ago.

Where did this news come from? The premise to answer this question is that it can still be eaten after more than 70 years and is still as fresh as ever. No one doubts it. No matter how well sealed it is, if there are no bacteria to promote spoilage, it will itself deteriorate. It may be edible, but it will never be as fresh as new. Give an example. In the 1990s, a Japanese Adzuki tank (Type 94 or Type 97? It should have 2 crew members and equipped with 1 machine gun) was fished out of the sand of a large river near Baoding, Shijiazhuang. There were no survivors in the vehicle, but all items were well preserved. , there are paper driving files, etc. Among them was an unopened tin can. After opening, there was basically no food in it, only a thick watery substance like egg drops. It was only 50 years since the War of Resistance Against Japan. Make your own independent judgment on this issue.

If nothing else is said, just from a technical perspective, Japan is still very advanced in many fields and deserves admiration. For example, it was discovered in Hiroshima in recent years that the cans produced in Japan during World War II have not deteriorated even after 70 years. This amazing food processing technology is really intimidating.

After the "Black Ship Incident", Japan almost fell into the mouth of the great powers. However, unlike the Qing Dynasty, Japan not only escaped the fate of decline through respecting the king and repelling the barbarians, the Overthrow Movement, and the Meiji Restoration, etc. , and became the only country in Asia to become one of the great powers in modern times.

At the same time, modern Japan was also very powerful in the fields of industry and science and technology, not inferior to Europe and the United States at that time. Although it started relatively late, by the beginning of the 20th century, Japan's economic aggregate ranked fifth in the world. It had the ability to build aircraft, tanks, and aircraft carriers. Its technological level was unmatched by many European countries at the time.

The "fossil cans" developed in Hiroshima, Japan a few years ago were just a microcosm of Japan's powerful industrial skills at that time.

Generally speaking, food spoilage is mainly due to insufficient sterilization and insufficient sealing. If you want to extend the shelf life of food, you must work hard on sterilization and sealing packaging. Of course, the current preservatives are also a method.

Canned food is undoubtedly the best portable and shelf-stable food. The earliest cans appeared during the Napoleonic era.

Cans require high-temperature sterilization and strict sealing. Except for a small number of varieties, there is no need to add preservatives. The better the two steps of high-temperature sterilization and sealing, the longer the shelf life of the can.

The canned food discovered in Japan was a canned red bean and glutinous rice product. When it was discovered, the production date indicated on it was 1944. It was produced by Hiroshima Food Co., Ltd. and was a military canned food supplied to the Yokosuka Navy at the time. It has been 70 years, but the can has not deteriorated since it was opened. The color and smell have not changed, and there is no deterioration reaction after testing.

The canned food from 70 years ago has not deteriorated. Japan’s food processing skills are indeed formidable. However, Japan's motivation for developing such a strong level of craftsmanship was shameful.

During the Great Depression, Japan launched an invasion in order to pass on the crisis, carried out crazy looting and massacres in its surrounding areas, and plundered a large amount of wealth. When the war reached its later stages, Japan, which was at the end of its rope, continued to plunder food and process a large number of shelf-stable cans in order to continue its stubborn resistance.

Objectively speaking, the level of Japanese craftsmanship is indeed admirable. However, the original intention of developing such craftsmanship was not to bring benefit but to create evil.

When it comes to canned food, I feel happy. I remember that when I was a child, the economy was relatively backward and supplies were scarce. What I looked forward to most was that I would get sick, because when I was sick, my parents would usually buy bottles and cans to supplement nutrition. In my childhood memory, the delicious food in the can has become the most precious and beautiful memory in my heart.

Due to the lack of supplies, the Japanese soldiers' food could not be well guaranteed. In order to ensure the nutrition of soldiers, the Japanese army made various forms of canned food such as fresh vegetables and meat. Cans are easy to carry, can be stored for a long time, and are convenient to eat. After taking out the cans, they can be eaten by simply heating them. This not only eliminates the need to make a fire for cooking, but also reduces the risk of exposing the target. On the other hand, canned food is relatively rich in nutrients and can quickly replenish energy, making it an excellent military supply.

The Japanese army produced different types of cans in order to keep soldiers fed. The first is canned beef. Beef is rich in amino acids and can quickly replenish physical strength. The second type is pure rice, such as various rice and fried rice, among which the canned "red bean glutinous rice" is the most famous. In recent years, a memorial hall in Japan has exhibited a can of "red bean and glutinous rice" produced by the Japanese army in 1944. After the can was simply heated, the red beans inside still showed a bright color after being opened, and you could even smell it. The smell of rice. After testing, Japanese experts also said that the cans were well preserved and still edible. The third type is canned fish produced later. In the later stages of the war, as the US military blockade intensified, the Japanese army's logistical supplies became increasingly poor. As a last resort, the Japanese army began to use fish or other meat (even cow blood) instead of beef to produce a special can.

In order for cans to preserve the ingredients in the cans for a long time, the Japanese army used many methods. The reason why food spoils is mainly because bacteria and microorganisms will multiply on the surface of food in a normal environment, causing food to spoil. For this reason, when the Japanese army produced cans, they used high-temperature sterilization first and then vacuumed the cans to achieve the purpose of sterilization and isolation of air, thereby preventing the reproduction of bacteria, so this can can be used for a long time. save.

Text/Just out of curiosity

Japan is a country with scarce resources. They have been preparing for a long time to launch a war.

We know that fighting is all about attrition, and the logistical supplies of the troops are a very important part of ensuring victory.

What did the Japanese soldiers on the battlefield eat?

The Japanese army is a highly hierarchical force, and Japanese soldiers of different levels eat different meals. Ordinary soldiers ate rice balls with pickles, but only senior officers were entitled to good meals.

So the Japanese army was quite looking forward to the canned food they were allocated, which would at least improve their food.

The Japanese army's military rations were initially just portable lunch boxes of rice balls and pickles, which had little nutrition and limited supplements to the soldiers' physical strength.

In 1892, Iko Iya developed canned food made from whale meat.

During the Sino-Japanese War, he donated 2,800 cans of whale meat to the Army, calling it "Yamato Cooking for the Brave".

This is the earliest can equipped with Japanese troops. After that, the Japanese army slowly purchased various types of canned fish and canned beef.

The canned food contains meat, vegetables and rice, which can provide necessary nutrients for the human body, can be stored for a long time, and can also satisfy the taste of soldiers.

In the early stages of the invasion of China, the field rations carried by Japanese soldiers included a can of "Beef Yamato Boiled" (about 250 grams), plus 650 grams of rice or biscuits.

There are also dried vegetables, pickled fish, dried fish, dried radish shreds, Fukugami pickles, dried kelp, as well as soy sauce, miso, sake, etc. It can be said that it is quite rich.

At the end of the war, due to the lack of domestic resources in Japan, canned beef was replaced by vegetarian cans, such as the most common canned red bean and glutinous rice and soybean rice canned by the Japanese army. Most of what the U.S. military eats on the battlefield is canned luncheon meat.

This kind of can is made by smashing the pork, mixing it with starch, adding salt, and putting it into a metal box.

This kind of canned food tasted okay at first, but the US military later ate too much and became particularly disgusted with canned luncheon meat.

The canned luncheon meat that the US military hates is regarded as the best food by soldiers from other countries. Especially in the eyes of Chinese soldiers who lacked food, canned luncheon meat was a delicacy in the world.

Recently, in an abandoned warehouse in Hiroshima, people discovered some Japanese military cans that were sealed here during World War II, mainly canned red bean and glutinous rice produced in 1944.

(The canned food discovered by the Japanese army)

After opening it, I found that the red bean and glutinous rice inside was still intact and could even be eaten directly.

The trademark affixed to the cans shows that they are produced by the "Onomichi Factory of United Canning Co., Ltd., Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture" and are purchased by the Navy Munitions Department and stored in this warehouse.

These cans emit a distinctive sour smell when opened, but do not go bad.

Everyone knows that Japanese people have a characteristic, that is, they are very serious in doing things. When they produced this batch of cans, they knew that they were for consumption by the "Emperor's Samurai" of the "Great Japanese Jihad", so they did a particularly good job in processing. They used high temperatures to basically kill all the bacteria in the cans, and the cans were sealed. Very careful to ensure that the food inside does not come into contact with air, greatly extending the shelf life.

In addition, the storage location of this batch of cans is the basement of the warehouse, which is a relatively cool constant temperature environment, which is also conducive to the preservation of cans.

Although Japan is a warlike nation, there are still some things worth learning from them. For example, their seriousness and persistence are worth learning from.

Of course, if they have other ideas, then we are welcome, right?

Crooked Eye Xiaoshi Studio

Text: Feng Sheng