The team has recovered an over-100-year-old fruitcake likely left behind by famed explorer Robert Falcon Scott's team after their Terra Nova expedition was stationed there. The expedition took place between 1910 and 1913. Fruitcake was supposedly one of Robert Falcon Scott’s favorite treats.
The tin that contained the fruitcake was rusted but the fruitcake itself looked and smelled edible, according to Lizzie Meek, manager of the Antarctica Heritage Trust’s artifacts. The fruitcake was made by British biscuit company Huntley & Palmers.
“Finding such a perfectly preserved fruitcake in amongst the last handful of unidentified and severely corroded tins was quite a surprise. It’s an ideal high-energy food for Antarctic conditions, and is still a favorite item on modern trips to the ice,” Meek says.
