Food Processing Pioneers

The early 1900s were filled with some of history’s greatest innovators. Often, we don’t reflect on the history of our food. Many fail to realize that during this time, food processing was in its infancy. We take some of their food processing and preservation methods for granted. So, below are two of the biggest food processing pioneers!

Clarence Birdseye- Birdseye Frozen Food and the Double Belt Freezer

Everyone has a bag of frozen fruit or vegetables in their freezer. But for the people of the early 1900s- this was a rarity.

After being taught to ice fish by the indigenous Inuit of Canada, Clarence Birdseye noticed that his fish almost immediately froze in the -40°F weather. He found that when he thawed the fish, they tasted freshly caught.

In the rare instance of frozen food being consumed by the public, it often was mushy and tasted low-quality. Birdseye figured out that this was due to the way they were frozen. He invented the double belt freezer in order to efficiently and rapidly freeze- and his invention is still utilized to this day!

The Kellogg Brothers- The Kellogg Company and the Rolling Machine

It’s hard to imagine a time when cold cereal wasn’t in nearly every home. However, this was the reality. Brothers John and Will Kellogg were already making strides in serving their homemade granola (with milk!) to John’s patients at the Battle Creek Sanitarium. To save money, rather than throughout wheat dough that had been left out, Will rolled it out and noticed that it scraped off into flakes- and when baked, the flakes became crunchy. Over time, this developed into the Corn Flakes we all enjoy.

To keep up with demand and achieve uniformity, Will Kellogg helped design a cereal rolling machine. This machine was monumental in food processing advancements. It also was so popular that former patient turned fierce competitor, C.W. Post, bought manufacturing rights to try and keep Kellogg from being able to buy more.

While our food processing looks a little different today, it is amazing to see how far we’ve come and what technology we still utilize today! When you are looking to buy or sell used food processing equipment, look no further than MTL Services. While we may not have a cabin in Canada for you to freeze your food, our inventory offers a wide range of equipment.

At MTL, our years of experience ensure we give you the best experience. We strive to give you a stress-free experience and help you receive the maximum payout for your used food processing equipment. Not only do we offer consignment, but we also offer direct purchases and auctions.

To learn more, fill out our contact form or give us a call at 404-386-6011.