Why Persuasion Is More Cost-Effective Than Brute Force
by: Michelle Wibel, CFSP NEMCO Food Equipment, Ltd. Hicksville, Ohio
It’s amazing how long traditions can last. Sometimes it makes sense. Sometimes it doesn’t.
The tradition of sealing food into unbreakable tin cans hasn’t changed much since Englishman Peter Durand invented the process in 1810. Makes sense. Why mess with a concept that so effectively preserves food?
But then there’s another tradition. Can opening. It likewise has not changed much since 1810, when the British Navy was the victim of Mr. Durand’s gross oversight in design. Bellies growling at sea, sailors were left to beat the cans open with a chisel and hammer.
Yes, the tin got thinner and the first cutting-wheel can opener came along in 1870, but—other than a serrated wheel in 1925 and an electric version in ’31—the basic principle remains. And yet, after all these years, people in commercial kitchens everywhere are still left to wonder, perhaps with sore joints, why this job of opening cans has to be so barbaric.
Kick the Can
Whatever it takes to get it open, right?
The tradition of using brute force to open cans has not changed for one simple reason. The can hasn’t changed. Whether or not it was truly an oversight, the can is a food package really designed to NOT be opened. And, in many respects, that’s a good thing.
• Food safety (or shelf life)
Canning actually began in bottles, when Frenchman Nicholas Appert, challenged by Napoleon, discovered that food sufficiently heated and sealed in an airtight container will not spoil. Durand improved the process with cans that won’t break. Either way, once the food is sealed and heat processed, it maintains its high quality for more than two years and can even remain food-safe for long after that as long as the container isn’t damaged.
• Durability
Bottles didn’t make it very far, but cans did. And still do. They’re a perfect package built to take punishment without bursting, whether on an 18th-century naval ship or in a 21st-century commercial kitchen.
• One-time use
If protecting and preserving the food inside, right up until it’s ready for consumption, is the top priority, then who cares if the can gets destroyed upon opening it? At that point, its work is done. Tinkering with the design to make it resealable only degrades its ability to uphold the first two benefits mentioned above.
Of course, if we all want to hold onto the tradition of such a stubborn package for its food safety and durability benefits, we all must be prepared to pay a certain price. That is, at least, as long as we hold onto the tradition of can opening.
As we continue abusing, violating and pillaging cans to open them, the cans will always continue to fight back, which can cost the foodservice operator money.
First of all, the continuous slam-puncture-and-rip technique of conventional can opening can inflict wear and tear on elbows, wrists and other joints, causing fatigue, slowing down the opening process, and even leading to employee downtime.
Meanwhile, our unmerciful attack on the metal lid yields all sorts of food- and employee-safety risks. For example:
• The cutting often creates metal shavings that can fall into the food.
• The sharp, jagged edges left on the lid and the can’s rim can easily cut an employee, further threatening food safety and, like the slamming issue, can lead to employee absences or worker’s compensation. Not to mention, the same jagged edges often also damage utensils used to scoop out the can’s contents.
• The lid, as filthy as it can get, often falls into the can, exposing the food to contaminants and wasting a kitchen employee’s time as he or she tries to fish the lid back out.
• The not-so-clean cutter penetrates the can and makes contact with the food, risking cross-contamination.
So, if no one can argue the benefits of the commercial can, it seems there definitely is cause to at least question the tradition of can opening. In other words, let’s leave the can alone and devise a way to open it with a little more grace. Maybe then, those cranky #10s will cut us all a break.
Finesse Works Best
Forgetting the fact that it has taken some 200 years of brutality to shake up the establishment, someone has finally approached the can from a different angle and, voilá, the can-opening process has dramatically evolved for the first time.
The new design is the result of thinking outside the can (literally) and involves cutting quickly, but gently, along the lid’s outer seam. Call it diplomacy. Call it persuasion. But it has proven to be a better and, ultimately, more cost-effective way to open cans.
Take heed, however. If you want to inquire about can openers with this innovative design, be selective and ask questions. The latest models incorporate new design enhancements that vastly improve durability.
Generally speaking, this new design takes far less effort than the slam-puncture-and-rip technique and the cutter neither penetrates the can to make contact with the food inside, nor leaves any sharp edges. What’s more, because the cut occurs along the outer seam, the lid remains in place at the completion of the cut until someone physically removes it. In effect, it doesn’t fall into the food.
Solving so many issues related to the old tradition of can opening, this new smoother, more civilized, more persuasive method translates into benefits that the foodservice operator can put right to the bottom line.
Labor Savings
Fast Action
With a conventional can opener, if the first slam didn’t penetrate the lid, the second and third very well might not either. And if the user begins to get tired, turning the can becomes a chore as well. Who has time for all that?
Well, now user strength is really a nonissue. With this new outside-the-can design, it’s a simple matter of orienting the can, flipping a lockdown lever and gently turning an ergonomic handle. The can is open in a few seconds, and the user suffers no strain or, for that matter, inferiority complex.
Replaceable Lid
One labor-saving idea no one could even ponder with conventional can opening involves being able to leave the lid in place after the can has actually been opened.
Cutting along the outer seam of the lid leaves the circumference of the lid intact so it can rest in place on top of the can. This allows the kitchen to open multiple cans at slower food prep times and leave them with their lids in place, temporarily, until ready for use, improving labor efficiency during rush times while protecting the food from the kitchen environment.
Smart Cutter Design
One of the design enhancements on the newer outside-the-can openers involves the cutter, which is now an easy-to-change module. Pull a pin, pull out the cutter and slip in a new one.
And yet, the real key is its finely tuned compression setting, which clearly indicates when the cutter must be replaced. After its 2,500 to 5,000 can life cycle, the cutter simply stops cutting. No more guesswork. It’s time to replace it.
Food Safety
Clean Cut
Because the cutter doesn’t actually penetrate the can, it never makes contact with or cross-contaminates the food. Unlike other openers, this design eliminates the need to constantly wash and scrub the cutter head to remove food buildup that can be a food-safety hazard.
What’s Outside the Can Stays Outside Cutting the metal occurs externally. The lid does not fall into the food and, therefore, neither do any of the contaminants often found on cans pulled from storage, such as dirt, droppings or dead insects.
Employee Safety
Smooth Edges
Cutting along the lid’s outer seam results in a remarkably smooth edge on both the lid and the rim of the can. Anyone can literally run a hand along either edge without risk of slicing his or her skin.
Handling the lid or reaching into the depths of the can to scoop out its contents is no longer a threat to your employees or your kitchen utensils.
Durability
Go Gearless
As you investigate can openers with this “outside” approach to cutting, look for the latest models that feature a gearless handle. Earlier versions had a plastic gear drive that showed signs of wear and breakage—an issue that has since been resolved.
Also, make sure your opener is constructed of commercial-grade stainless steel and/or nickel-plated components that are durable and dishwasher-safe.
When you’re saving money with this revolutionary can-opening design, you’ll want to maximize your return on investment with a unit that lasts.
About the Author:
Michelle Wibel, CFSP, is the director of sales and marketing for NEMCO Food Equipment, Ltd. During her 24 years in foodservice, Michelle has been involved in everything from product development, to marketing and sales, to public relations. Active in numerous NAFEM activities, she is currently serving on the NAFEM board. Contact NEMCO at 800.782.6761, or visit nemcofoodequip.com.