Canning the World, One Empire at a Time

The history of canned food illustrates how logistical innovation profoundly reshaped economic, social, and geopolitical dynamics on a global scale. Originally developed to extend the shelf life of food, canned foods quickly became a strategic tool for colonial empires, ensuring stable military and civilian supplies while reinforcing control over conquered territories. Their widespread introduction in the colonies transformed local diets, leading to food standardization, cultural homogenization, and increased dependence on imported products—often at the expense of local production and traditional culinary knowledge. The industrialization of canning not only fueled the growth of new markets but also reinforced an asymmetrical economic model, in which metropolitan centers extracted resources from the colonies without fostering their autonomy or food sovereignty. However, the rapid expansion of the canning industry also raised significant environmental and public health concerns, including issues related to preservation methods, additive use, and waste production. This article explores the tensions between logistical progress and geopolitical power dynamics, emphasizing the pivotal role of the canning industry in the globalization of exchanges and the restructuring of food systems.