National Sardines Day is marked on November 24 to celebrate the super deliciousness of sardines and the wholesome health benefits they provide to us. Did you know that the word ‘sardine’ was first used in the 15th century and was derived from the Mediterranean island of Sardinia? Sardines are one of the most abundant, edible fish in the world and are employed for various purposes, including bait, human consumption, fish meal, fish oil, canning, drying, and salting. They are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids; vitamins D, B12, and B2; phosphorus; and calcium. Sardines commonly come packed in tin cans and are a major export for Morocco, Japan, and China.
Sardines have always been a major food source around coastal regions like the Mediterranean islands, from where it got its name. However, before they became a global delicacy and a significant means of export, sardines were “the fish of the poor.”
The Frenchman Nicolas Appert heralded the golden era of sardines with the invention of canning. This nifty innovation, which would forever transform the food industry, was introduced in 1810 by Nicolas Appert in his cookbook, “The Art of Preserving All Kinds of Animal and Vegetable Substances for Several Years.” Joseph-Pierre Colin, an Englishman, combined this innovation with Breton’s popular sardine storage technique and created canned sardines.
By 1836, Colin was producing around 30,000 cans a year. That increased over the years to 50 million cans because of the creation of about 30 other small factories. Before the end of the 19th century, Spain and Portugal overtook France in canned sardines exports owing to a drastic decrease in sardine population in France’s coastal waters. The French woes were further worsened by the 1870 Franco-Prussian War, halting their exports to North America, consequently creating an opportunity for American entrepreneurs to enter the market.
In 1875, the Eagle Preserved Fish Company was established in Eastport on the East Coast, ushering in the golden era of the American sardine industry. In Maine and California, small sardine factories spurted everywhere along the coast, increasing the volume of Atlantic herrings exported worldwide. In the 1940s, the sardine industry began winding down on the West Coast because of World War II. Twenty years later, the East Coast started experiencing reduced canned sardine sales, and by 2010, the last factory in Maine shut down.
While sardines are no longer a major export for the United States and are viewed as low-end foods, they are still a delicacy in Spain and Portugal. In fact, there is a culture of making canned sardines age as wine before eating them.
