How the Refrigerator Has Changed Our Lives

 

Just about every kitchen in America (99.5 percent) comes fully-equipped with a refrigerator. Refrigerators run 24/7 keeping our food cold, refreshing, and bacteria-free, but they are under-appreciated. Most of us have never experienced life without refrigeration, except for the occasional camping trip, so we take them for granted in our daily lives. Here is a brief summary on the history of refrigeration, and why the Smithsonian proclaimed it to be the most important invention in the history of food.

Prior to the invention of the home refrigerator, keeping food cold was not an easy task. For centuries, people stored their food in outdoor window boxes, cellars, and even underwater in nearby lakes in an effort to keep the food cool. Other time-tested methods of preservation included salting and pickling.

Then came the ice revolution. Starting in the late 1700s, ice harvesting and transportation became very popular. Pioneered by Frederick Tudor and Nathaniel Wyeth, large quantities of ice were harvested from frozen ponds and lakes and shipped to warmer climates. As insulation improved and less ice melted during transportation, the ice trade flourished and revolutionized other industries such as the meat, vegetable, and fruit industries.

While the ice trade was a revolution in itself, it was far from perfect. By the late 1890s, natural sources of ice became scarce due to pollution and sewage dumping. Advances in technology allowed for commercial refrigeration to be available to breweries and meat-packing businesses by the 1910s, but still no household version was available.

Fast forward about 50 years and household refrigerators were being mass-produced and became a staple of the American house. The implementation of refrigerators into our homes has increased our quality of life by allowing us to eat better, fresher foods. We no longer have to rely on ice delivery companies and our diets have expanded and diversified, in addition to the health benefits. By keeping foods at a constant temperature of 40° or lower, bacteria growth is slowed and the lifespan of our food is increased by several days or weeks.

If your refrigerator is malfunctioning, you can call on the services of Speedy Sub Zero to restore it to working condition. With over 75 years of business, we are New York's premier refrigeration repair company and offer one-hour emergency service to Long Island and New York City. To schedule a visit for your home, call us 24/7 at 866-782-9376.