Food Development 19th -20th Century

1920s-1930s

1925

-The electric refrigerator becomes widely available in the 1920s, allowing people to store perishable food for longer periods.
-The first commercially successful instant coffee, Nescafe, is introduced in 1938.
-The Great Depression of the 1930s leads to a rise in home canning and preservation of food.

1940s-1950s

1945

-During World War II, food rationing is implemented in many countries, leading to innovations such as powdered eggs and spam.
-The first fast-food chains, such as McDonald's and KFC, are established in the 1950s.
-TV dinners, precooked meals that could be heated in the oven, become popular in the 1950s.

1960s-1970s

1965

-The Green Revolution of the 1960s leads to the development of high-yield crop varieties and the increased use of pesticides and fertilizers.
-The first vegetarian and health food stores open in the 1960s.
-The popularity of convenience foods continues to grow, with the introduction of microwaveable meals in the 1970s.

Early 1900s

1990

-The first cookbook by African American author, Rufus Estes, is published in 1907.
-In 1913, the US government creates the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate food safety and labeling.
-The first refrigerated trucks for transporting perishable food are introduced in the early 1900s.

1980s-Present

2000

-The organic food movement gains popularity in the 1980s and continues to grow in the present day.
-The use of genetically modified crops becomes more widespread in the 1990s and 2000s.
-The popularity of plant-based diets and alternative meat products, such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, increases in the present day.