The Role Of Food During The Industrial Revolution

The Industrial Revolution set forth a change that affected the world through the production, distribution, and consumption of food. Food became industrialized not through its accessibility, but because of the shift from an agricultural based method of production to the mechanical production and process of food. With the use of machinery, production became more efficient (usually in factories), leading to the mass production. These goods were more accessible through refrigerated boxcars as it gave people the option to consume carelessly, leading to a neglect of health. Although each improvement furthered growth and led to further modernization, there were several complications that also surfaced. Some of these complications were not always apparent, and would eventually open the doors for both scientists and chemists to conduct both research and development that would later become the foundation for future regulations placed on food.

Before the Industrialized Era, people commonly grew and processed food for a living.[1] However, with the introduction of machinery in …show more content…
As mentioned above, food was highly adulterated, and the disconnection from agriculture or a sense of where your food comes from was massive. Food was grown in agriculture, but they were sent immediately to factories. During this time, there were no food safety regulations in place. For the US, it wasn’t until the early 20th century when the Pure Food and Drug Act passed with the help of Upton Sinclair that any real change occurred. Other than himself, several progressive reformers and groups were active in the carelessness of food. In Sinclair’s The Jungle, he exposes the meatpacking industry in Chicago by detailing the unsanitary and grotesque handling of pork.[8] It appears he uses a worker named Jonas who