Self-heating can

As a self-heating meal ready meals are called, which are heated without external supply of heat through a cooking zone or the like by means of a chemical reaction. They were first used as food in the army, but are now also available to consumers in stores.

The package contains depending on the manufacturer a can or a bag with separate compartments containing water and once again a chemical substance such as calcium oxide, which releases heat on contact with water due to an exothermic reaction. This heat is sufficient to heat the dish in about 10-12 minutes. The chemical substance comes with the meal itself is not in contact.

The manufacturers use different systems:

• Normal drinking water must be poured into the heater.
• It must be watered with salt water in the heater is an enclosed bag.
• A specific point on the bottom of the package must be pressed, then the heating process is initiated.
• Self - heated tin: a double-walled tin, in which the meal is in the inner can and in the partition a chemical and a water bag, which must be pierced to heat the meal with a mandrel.

The self-heating meals are advertised as emergency rations in case of power failure or as suitable food for expeditions. As criticism would be the fact that in relation to the meal amount comparatively large amount of landfill waste, which also contains chemicals.

History

Self-heating meals in the form of canned food have been known since about 1900. They were made for mountaineers and expedition members. Hiram Bingham reported that he used 1909-1915 such meals in his expeditions in Peru. 1910 also mentioned the balloonist Alan R. Hawley, he had eaten soup cans in a hot air balloon ride three portions, the heated himself.

1941 was an article in the New York Times:

In the years following the Second World War, these courts were reserved for the U.S. military, from 1947 it gave them again for all consumers. Do not put yourself at first but by the market.

In 2006, self-heating hot drinks arrived in the U.S. again on the market, manufactured by Ontech.

• Court (Food and Drink )