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Carbonation of Water
The process of the carbonation of water was first developed by Joseph Priestley in 1767. He was performing experiments in a brewery when he noticed that a bowl of water placed above fermenting liquid caused a “pleasant, sweet acid taste.” This invention changed the way people thought water could taste, and it was also the forerunner for modern soda and other carbonated beverages. -
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Carbonation of Water
The process of the carbonation of water was first developed by Joseph Priestley in 1767. He was performing experiments in a brewery when he noticed that a bowl of water placed above fermenting liquid caused a “pleasant, sweet acid taste.” This invention changed the way people thought water could taste, and it was also the forerunner for modern soda and other carbonated beverages. -
Threshing Machine
Threshing MAchine was invented in 1784 by a Scottish engineer, Andrew Mielke. The threshing machine removes grain from their stalks faster and more efficiently than hand threshing. This increased productivity and higher crop yields. -
Preserving Jar
Preserving Jar- was invented in 1795 by Nicolas Appert. Appert was a French chef who invented the preserving jar to win a contest for a way to preserve food during transport. He used glass containers sealed with cork and wax and reinforced with wire. -
Canning
Canning was invented in 1806, also by Nicolas Appert. Using his preserving jar, he would seal foods, like soups, vegetables, fruits,dairy products, jellies, and marmalades, inside and then boil them in water for vary amounts of time. -
Tin Can
Peter Durand invented the first tin can in 1810. This invention revolutionized the way foods could be preserved and stored. Subsequent inventions included tin can-producing machines and of course, the can opener. -
The Soda Fountain
The Soda Fountain was invented by Samuel Fahnestock in 1819. Until the 1960’s, soda fountains were the reason soda fountain parlors were such a popular place to hangout and meet up with friends. When bottled soda and fast food was introduced, soda fountains began to lose their popularity. -
Mechanical Reaper
Cyrus McCormick invented the first commercial mechanical reaper in 1831. The machine, pulled by horses, allowed wheat to be harvested more quickly and efficiently. Due to the growing demand of wheat in America at this time, the success of the mechanical reaper was instrumental in meeting the demand. This invention even gave him the prestigious title as the “Father of Modern Agriculture.” -
Powdered milk or dried milk
Powdered milk or dried milk is a manufactured dairy product made by evaporating milk to dryness. One purpose of drying milk is to preserve it; milk powder has a far longer shelf life than liquid milk and does not need to be refrigerated, due to its low moisture content. Another purpose is to reduce its bulk for economy of transportation. Powdered milk and dairy products include such items as dry whole milk, nonfat (skimmed) dry milk, dry buttermilk, dry whey products and dry dairy blends. The fi -
Refrigeration Machine
Jacob Perkins became the first person to invent a refrigerating machine. It was called an ether ice machine, and it used ether vapor compression cycles to draw warm air out of the chamber and circulate cool air throughout. This invention paved the way for future refrigeration technologies, all of which allowed food such as meats and dairy to be preserved without changing their current state. Up until then, these products had to be eaten immediately or dried (meat) or made into cheese (milk). -
Corn Planter
Henry Blair’s invention of the corn planter in 1834 made him only the second Black American in history to receive a patent. This invention, pulled by a horse, would dig a small hole for the dirt, plant seeds at regular intervals, cover the seed with dirt, and smooth the surface of the soil before moving on down the row. This dramatically increased the efficiency of planting corn seeds. -
Pasteurization
Pasteurization was invented in 1856 by Louis Pasteur. It is a process, used in cooking and brewing, that involves heating liquids to kill bacterias, yeasts, molds, and protozoans. Foods commonly pasteurized are milk, cider, wine, beer, and some solid foods, like cheese. -
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Railroad Age: 1860–1910
A dramatic expansion in farming took place. The number of farms tripled from 2.0 million in 1860 to 6.0 million in 1905. The number of people living on farms grew from about 10 million in 1860 to 22 million in 1880 to 31 million in 1905. The value of farms soared from $8.0 billion in 1860 to $30 billion in 1906. The federal government issued 160-acre tracts virtually free to about 400,000 families who settled new land under the Homestead Act of 1862. -
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Food Labeling Laws
1862 Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Chemistry, the predecessor of the Food and Drug Administration.
1906 The original Food and Drugs Act is passed. It prohibits interstate commerce in mis-branded and adulterated foods, drinks and drugs.
1924 The Supreme Court rules that the Food and Drugs Act condemns every statement, design, or device on a product’s label that may mislead or deceive, even if technically true.
1949 FDA publishes guidance to industry for the first time. -
Peanut Products - George Washington Carver
Carver worked on improving soils, growing crops with low inputs, and using species that fixed nitrogen (hence, the work on the cowpea and the peanut). Carver wrote in 'The Need of Scientific Agriculture in the South': "The virgin fertility of our soils and the vast amount of unskilled labor have been more of a curse than a blessing to agriculture. This exhaustive system for cultivation, the destruction of forest, the rapid and almost constant decomposition of organic matter. -
Coca Cola
While soda water was invented in the 1770’s, syrup wasn’t added to the soda water until the 1830’s. And it wasn’t until 1886 that the signature cola taste was added to bottled soda. John Pemberton from Atlanta, Georgia was the first to sell cola but not in the way you’d think. Cola was originally served as medicine. Into the early twentieth century, cola became a staple in every soda fountain parlor in North America. -
Food Preservation with additives
In the early 1900s, irregular curing was commonplace. This led to further research surrounding the use of sodium nitrite as an additive in food, standardizing the amount present in foods to minimize the amount needed while maximizing its food additive role. Through this research, sodium nitrite has been found to inhibit growth of disease-causing microorganisms; give taste and color to the meat; and inhibit lipid oxidation that leads to rancidity. -
Crisco
Crisco was invented by William Proctor and James Gamble who originally started out making soaps and candles in 1837. In 1911, Proctor and Gamble introduced Crisco, as an alternative to animal fat and butter. Crisco was made possible by a process called hydrogenation, which produces shortening. Shortening will stay in solid form year round, regardless of temperature. -
Piggly Wiggly
The Piggly Wiggly first opened its doors in 1916. This revolutionized food shopping in a way that we still are impacted by today. After the Piggly Wiggly opened, food shopping was a one-stop-shop. Women no longer had to go to the dairy farm, the butcher, or grow their own vegetables. -
Sativa
Sativa is a vegetable based vitamin supplement first introduced in 1921. Usually used to flavor soups and gravies, sativa is full of water soluble vitamins and doesn’t include many harmful effects of meat like salts and acid. -
The Quick Freeze Method
The Quick Freeze Method was invented in 1924 by Clarence Birdseye. On a fishing trip with Inuits, Birdseye discovered by accident, that placing freshly caught fish in icy water, quickly froze them. The quick freezing didn’t affect the taste or texture of the fish later on when they were thawed. The freezing practices of the time took a long time and tended to form large ice crystals on food that caused it to lose taste and texture once thawed. Birdseye’s first quick freezing method was to prep
