Food can celebrates its 200th anniversary

Cans, the packaging staple of human food and wet petfood alike, are celebrating their 200th anniversary.

The can was first patented in 1810. Since then it has gone through several evolutions, and today there are more than 600 sizes and styles of cans being manufactured. Can manufacturing has grown into a US$14.9 billion business annually, and to this day cans remain the easiest and least expensive way to transport perishable foods—they're lightweight, stackable, tamper-resistant and keep food nutrient-rich, according to the Can Manufacturers Institute.