Why Are Canned Biscuits Packaged In Noisy Tubes? - Tasting Table

"Pre-packaged dough is a godsend when you don't have time to make biscuits from scratch. It's ready to toss in the oven, only takes a few minutes, and, thanks to a decades-old packaging design, can stay fresh in the fridge for up to two months. The only con of pre-packaged canned biscuits is that you can hear them from a mile away. The cylinder cardboard container lets out an echoing "pop" when opened and the secret behind the signature sound is pressure."

"Once the tube's seal snaps off, carbon dioxide escapes in a rush, leading to the alarming noise. The pressurized tube almost acts as a vacuum seal, keeping the notoriously temperamental biscuit dough fresh (and ready to bake) for weeks. The thick packaging keeps each biscuit uniform and safe for travel, but it also controls the dough's otherwise rapid rise. Leavening agents like baking powder are what make biscuits so light and fluffy, and the aluminum"

"Willoughby was a hardworking baker running his own business and he was fed up with the logistics of transporting fresh biscuit dough rising by the minute. He brilliantly lined a cardboard tube with baking powder and epsom salt in an effort to keep his biscuit dough fresh, and it worked wonders. His brand, Ye Olde Kentuckie Buttermilk Biscuits, partnered with Ballard Flour down the line, and was then bought out by Pillsbury in the early 1950s."

Pre-packaged canned biscuit dough uses an aluminum-lined tube that creates internal pressure to keep dough fresh up to two months. The sealed tube traps carbon dioxide and prevents leavening agents from causing the dough to expand, controlling rise until opened and the trapped gas escapes with a loud pop. Thick packaging keeps biscuits uniform and safe for transport and stops overproofing and spoilage before the tube design. The patent for the design was secured in 1931 by Kentucky baker Lively B. Willoughby, who lined a tube with baking powder and epsom salt. The design later became part of Pillsbury after acquisition in the early 1950s.

Read at Tasting Table