Fridge voted most important innovation
15 Sep 2012 2:49 AM GMT
The refrigerator has topped the list of most important innovations in the history of food and drink, according to a new UK survey.
Pasteurised milk and tin cans have come a close second while vital methods for food preparation like the pot, the knife and the spoon came 14th, 15th and 16th respectively, the Daily Mail reported.
A team of 45 top scientists from the Royal Society ranked a shortlist of 20 innovations by their levels of accessibility, productivity, aesthetics and health.
The group of Royal Society Fellowes, chaired by Royal Society Treasurer Sir Peter Williams, decided two of the top three discoveries were made in Britain – artificial refrigeration was first demonstrated in Glasgow in 1748, and a British merchant patented the tin can in 1810.
However, the first pasteurisation test was completed in France in 1862.
‘Refrigeration has played the biggest role of any innovation in improving the diets of millions of people,’ the Royal Society said.
Pasteurisation is the process of heating food to a specific temperature to kill bacteria inside and prevent spoilage, and was first used to heat wine in China.
British merchant Peter Durand invented and patented the tin can in 1810, but the can opener was not invented until 50 years later.
The oven has won the 4th place in the survey, irrigation stood at 5th. Threshing machine/combine harvester were voted as the 6th most important innovations while baking came 7th.
Selective breeding/strains and grinding/milling ranked 8th and 9th respectively.
The list of top 20 Food and Drink Innovations also included the plough, fermentation, the fishing net, crop rotation, the pot, the knife, eating utensils, the cork, the barrel, the microwave oven and frying.
Pasteurised milk and tin cans have come a close second while vital methods for food preparation like the pot, the knife and the spoon came 14th, 15th and 16th respectively, the Daily Mail reported.
A team of 45 top scientists from the Royal Society ranked a shortlist of 20 innovations by their levels of accessibility, productivity, aesthetics and health.
The group of Royal Society Fellowes, chaired by Royal Society Treasurer Sir Peter Williams, decided two of the top three discoveries were made in Britain – artificial refrigeration was first demonstrated in Glasgow in 1748, and a British merchant patented the tin can in 1810.
However, the first pasteurisation test was completed in France in 1862.
‘Refrigeration has played the biggest role of any innovation in improving the diets of millions of people,’ the Royal Society said.
Pasteurisation is the process of heating food to a specific temperature to kill bacteria inside and prevent spoilage, and was first used to heat wine in China.
British merchant Peter Durand invented and patented the tin can in 1810, but the can opener was not invented until 50 years later.
The oven has won the 4th place in the survey, irrigation stood at 5th. Threshing machine/combine harvester were voted as the 6th most important innovations while baking came 7th.
Selective breeding/strains and grinding/milling ranked 8th and 9th respectively.
The list of top 20 Food and Drink Innovations also included the plough, fermentation, the fishing net, crop rotation, the pot, the knife, eating utensils, the cork, the barrel, the microwave oven and frying.
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