History of the Global Food Industry

9000 B.C to 1000 B.C.

8300 B.C. – Oldest Fishing Net Found (Finland) – The oldest known fishing net, “Net of Antrea,” which dates back to 8300 B.C. was found in 1913 in the Karelian town of Antrea, Finland.

8000 B.C. – Earliest Bread Made (Egypt) — The earliest bread was made in Egypt.

7000 B.C. – First Beer Brewed (China) — The first beer in the world known as “Kui” was brewed by the ancient Chinese.

6000 B.C. – Irrigation Originated (Egypt) — The earliest known systems of irrigation originated in Egypt and Mesopotamia, which they used to fight against the flooding of the Nile.

5400 to 5000 B.C. – Grape Wines Discovered (Iran) — The earliest remnants of grape wines were discovered in the site of Hajji Firuz Tepe, in the northern Zagros Mountains of Iran.

4500 to 3500 B.C. – Olives Domesticated and Extracted (Israel) — The earliest clear evidence of olive domestication in Crete and olive oil extraction.

3500 B.C. – Molding Glass Discovered (Egypt) — Ancient Egyptians discovered glass blowing to mold glass containers for food and water storage.

3100 B.C. – First Weighing Scale Invented (Egypt) — Ancient Egyptians invented the first scale used to trade goods and different types of metals, including gold, silver, and copper.

3000 B.C. – Fish and Meat Preserved (Mesopotamia) — Fish and meat were preserved in sesame oil, dried and salted in order to store them for when food was scarce in Mesopotamia.

3000 B.C. – Palm Oil Made (Egypt) — Oil made from palm berries, a shelf-stable and cheap staple of modern-day processed food has been found in ancient Egyptian tombs.

2500 B.C. – Frying Originated (Egypt) — The cooking of food in oil, best known as frying, originated in ancient Egypt around 2500 B.C.

2030 B.C. – Pickled Cucumbers Discovered (Asia) — Pickles have been around for thousands of years, dating as far back as 2030 BC when cucumbers were pickled in the Tigris Valley in Western Asia.

2000 B.C. – Spice Trade Developed (Asia) — The spice trade developed throughout the Indian subcontinent at the earliest 2000 BCE with cinnamon and black pepper, and in East Asia with herbs and pepper.

2000 B.C. – Noodles Discovered (China) — The first evidence of this popular dish comes from preserved millet-based noodles in an earthenware bowl in northwestern China. The wheat variety, commonly associated with pasta, arose in China 2,000 years ago.

1900 B.C. – Cacao Beans Used as Currency (Central America) — Cacao beans were used as currency in a barter system for food and clothing by the Aztecs and Mayans.

1550 B.C. – Mortar and Pestles Used (Egypt) — Mortar and pestles were described in the Ebers papyrus from Ancient Egypt as the oldest preserved piece of medical literature discovered. It is estimated that mortar and pestles were used for 6,000 years before it was used for food preparation – mostly for the grinding of spices.

1500 B.C. – First Bacon Processed (China) — The Chinese were the first to cook salted pork bellies more than 3000 years ago, which makes bacon one of the world’s oldest processed meats.

1500 B.C. – Food Colors Added (Egypt) — The addition of food colors is thought to have occurred in Egypt as early as 1500 B.C. when candy makers added natural extracts and wine to improve the products’ appearance.

1490 B.C. – Earliest Stove Recorded (France) — The earliest recorded stove was created in Alsace, France. It was entirely made out of brick and tile.

1000 B.C. to 1 B.C.

1,000 B.C. – Peanuts Cultivated (Peru) — Peanuts were cultivated in Peru.

500 B.C. – Granulated Sugar Invented (India) — Indians invented easy-to-transport granulated sugar, which launched the global sugar trade.

4th Century B.C. – Sushi Originated (Asia) — Sushi originated in Southeast Asia as a method for preserving fish. The fermentation of the rice prevented the fish from spoiling.

350 B.C. – Wooden Barrel-shaped Containers Used (Mesopotamia) — Most likely developed by the Celts, barrel-shaped wooden containers were used to ship Armenian wines to Babylon in Mesopotamia as the barrels were able to withstand stress and could be rolled and stacked.

305 to 283 B.C. – First Parchment Invented (Egypt) — Parchments were first invented in the Ptolemaic Dynasty in Egypt. 

55 B.C. – First Reference to Cider Recorded (Britain) — The first recorded reference to cider dates back to Julius Caesar’s first attempt to invade Britain, where he found the native Celts fermenting crabapples. 

125 B.C. – Pomegranates Introduced (China) — Pomegranates were introduced to China.

100 B.C. – Oysters Farmed (Rome) — Oyster farming was practiced by the ancient Romans as early as the 1st century B.C., when they began cultivating oysters in beds. 

1 A.D. to 1000 A.D. 

30 A.D. – Greenhouse System Created (Rome) — The first greenhouse was created in Rome in 30 A.D. when Emperor Tiberius became sick and was prescribed to eat one cucumber a day. It was built with stone walls for insulation and glass ceilings to let in light. 

100 A.D. – Mechanical Dough Mixer Invented (Rome) — The first mechanical dough mixer was invented by a freed slave, Marcus Virgilius Euryasaces. It consisted of a large stone basin in which wooden paddles, powered by a horse or donkey walking in circles, kneaded the dough mixture of flour, leaven, and water.

100 A.D. – World’s Oldest Cookbook Attributed (Rome) — The world’s oldest surviving cookbook, De Re Coquinaria (“On Cookery”), is attributed to the 1st century Roman, Apicius.

400 A.D. – Mustard Recipe Discovered (Rome) — One of the first mustard recipes, collected in the Roman cookbook De Re Coquinaria, called for a mixture of ground mustard seed, pepper, caraway, lovage, roasted coriander seeds, dill, celery, thyme, oregano, onion, honey, vinegar, fish sauce, and oil.

400 A.D. – 1000 A.D. – Durable Eating Utensils Discovered (Europe) — The Iron Age brought much needed durability to eating utensils with the discovery of metalwork. 

5th century A.D. – Wooden Spoon Popularized (Europe) — Anglo-Saxon people popularized the word “spon,” which described their wooden version of the spoon. Other countries started producing simple spoons from both wood and other materials, such as bone, shell, and stone.

700 A.D. – Kimchi Originated (Korea) — The first kimchi originated in Korea, which consisted of cabbage fermented with salt. 

900 A.D. – Fish Farmed (China) — Fish began being farm-raised in China.

901 to 1000 A.D. – Salt Cod Discovered (Spain and France) — The Basque fishermen, who originated from Spain and France, invented the technique of salting cod and soaking it to make it more palatable, as it is done to this day.

1000 to 1700 A.D.

1040 – Oldest Brewery in Continuous Operation Started (Germany) — Weihenstephan Brewery, the oldest continuously-operating brewery in the world started their official business in 1040. 

1200 – Okra Cultivated (Egypt) — Originating from North Africa, okra was cultivated by the ancient Egyptians in the 12th century B.C.

1300s – Food Marination Began (France) — The French began marinating their food in the 1300s, and the Mexicans have used papaya to tenderize their meat since before Columbus’s time. In the U.S., bottled marinades were used since the 1800s.

1368 to 1644 – First Metal Woks Appeared (China) — Metal woks started to appear in China in the Ming dynasty, where it was first used for stir frying, an original Han Chinese innovation.

1490 – The First Oven Built (France) — The first official oven in recorded history was built in France and was made using brick and tile. 

1540s – Grater Invented (France) — François Boullier invented the modern grater originally to grate cheese.

1679 – Pressure Cooker Invented (London, UK) — French physicist Denis Papin invented the pressure cooker called Papin’s Digester. This airtight cooker produced hot steam that cooked food more quickly while preserving nutrients.

1698 – Water Pump Developed (London, UK) — The first commercial steam-powered device was a water pump, developed by Thomas Savery in London. 

18th Century

1700s – Water Filter Patented (France) — Joseph Amy obtained the first patent for a water filter. His design incorporated wool, sponge, and charcoal layers to help purify drinking water. 

1703 – Oldest Rum Distilled (Barbados, Caribbean Island) — The Mount Gay Estate in Barbados began distilling rum. Mount Gay Rum is the oldest existing brand of rum in the world.

1735 – Stew Stove or Castrol Stove Developed (Europe) — The Stew Stove, also known as Castrol Stove was one of the earliest wood-burning food stoves developed by the French designer, Francois Cuvilliés.

1748 – First Refrigeration Method Invented (Scotland, UK) — The first method of refrigeration was invented in 1748 by William Cullen of the University of Glasgow in Scotland.

1750 – Water Filters Sold (France) — The first home water filters, invented by Joseph Amy, were made available for sale. 

1767 – First Carbonated Water Created (England, UK) — The first drinkable, man-made glass of carbonated water was created by Englishman, Dr. Joseph Priestley.

1777 – First Ice Cream Advertised (USA) — The first advertisement for ice cream in the U.S. appeared in the New York Gazette on May 12, 1777.

1778 – Threshing Machine Invented (Scotland, UK) — The threshing machine was invented by a Scottish millwright, Andrew Meikle, as a way of mechanically removing grain from its husks.

1785 – Automatic Flour Milling Invented (Delaware, USA) — Oliver Evans of Newport, Delaware, USA, invented the automatic flour-milling machinery that revolutionized the industry. 

1790 – Canning Started (France) — French confectioner Nicolas Appert, pioneered a successful food preservation method known as “canning,” when he discovered that the application of heat to food in sealed glass bottles preserved the food from deterioration.

1795 – First Corkscrew Patented (England) — The first official corkscrew patent was filed by English Reverend Samuel Henshall. 

19th Century

1800 – Iron Kitchen Stove Invented (London, UK) — The Rumford Stove, a working iron kitchen stove designed for large working kitchens was invented by Count Rumford, aka Benjamin Thompson, in London.

1805 – First Closed Circuit Refrigerator Invented (USA) — The first closed circuit refrigeration machine was invented by Oliver Evans, and its design was based on the vapor-compression refrigeration cycle.

1810 – First Bottling Factory Operated (France) — La Maison Appert, or The House of Appert, became the first food-bottling factory in the world. 

1810 – Tin Can Preservation Patented (England, UK) — British inventor, Peter Durand patented his own canning method using tins instead of glass to preserve food. The patent was granted on August 25, 1810, by King George III of England.

1812 – First Tomato Ketchup Recipe Developed (Philadelphia, USA) — The first recipe for tomato-based ketchup was developed by James Mease, a Philadelphia scientist. 

1825 – Tin Cans Patented (New York, USA) — Thomas Kensett and Ezra Daggett patented the use of tin plates or tin cans, and started selling canned oysters, fruits, meats, and vegetables in New York.

1828 – Cocoa Press Invented (Netherlands) — The process used to turn roasted cacao beans into cocoa powder was invented by Coenraad Johannes Van Houten, a Dutch chemist and chocolate manufacturer. 

1831 – Reaping Machine Developed (USA) — The mechanical reaper was a machine developed by Cyrus Hall McCormick, which combined many of the steps involved in harvesting crops. It also greatly increased crop yields, decreased the number of field hands necessary for the harvest, lowered costs, and revolutionized farming.

1833 – First Pasta Machine Invented (Italy) — The first pasta machine was made by Cesare Spadaccini and was mass produced and used in early pasta factories after King Ferdinand II commissioned its making. He asked Spadaccini to invent a pasta machine after he saw peasants kneading pasta dough with their feet.

1842 – Pepper Mill Invented (France) — The pepper grinder was invented by the Peugeot of France. Earlier versions of pepper mills were based on the mortar and pestle design. The pepper grinder allowed for a less labor intensive way to crack peppercorns. 

1847 – First Candy Chocolate Bar Invented (Great Britain) — The first “candy” chocolate bar was invented by Joseph Fry and his son in Britain. 

1846 – First Ice Cream Maker Developed (USA) — American, Nancy Johnson developed the first ice cream maker, which works with a crank and coarse salt. 

1849 – Portable Steam Power Used (England, UK) — Portable steam power was first used with threshing machines, which increased threshing production by 100 times.

1850 – Wooden Dishwasher Patented (USA) — Joel Houghton patented a wooden machine with a hand-turned wheel that splashed water on dishes. It was hardly a workable machine, but it was the first patent.

1856 – Ice Making and Refrigeration Developed (Australia) — James Harrison developed the first practical ice-making and refrigeration room for industrial use.

1856 – Organic Dye Discovered (London, UK) — William Henry Perkin discovered the first synthetic organic dye, called mauve. Discoveries of similar dyes soon followed and they quickly became used to color foods, drugs, and cosmetics.

1858 – Can Opener Invented (Connecticut, USA) — The can opener was invented by Ezra Warner of Waterbury, Connecticut, USA. Warner’s device used a lever and chisel. 

1859 – Ammonia Vapor-Compressor Invented (France) — Ferdinand Carre invented the ammonia vapor-compression system for refrigeration. 

1860’s – First Hot Dog in Buns Sold (New York, USA) — Hot dogs began as sausages sold in buns. They were first sold from carts by German immigrants on the streets of New York City.

1862 – First Pasteurization Test Completed (France) — Louis Pasteur successfully completed his first test on pasteurization, which was soon applied to beer, juice, eggs, and milk.

1869 – Waffle Iron Patented (New York, USA) — American inventor Cornelius Swartwout patented the waffle iron in New York, USA, granted on the 24 August of that year.

1872 – Nutcracker Made (Germany) — Wilhelm Fuchtner, known as the father of the nutcracker, made the first commercial production of nutcrackers using the lathe to create many of the same design.

1874 – First Cylindrical Grinding Machine Sold (USA) — The world’s first cylindrical grinding machine was marketed by Brown & Sharpe.

1876 – Heinz Tomato Ketchup Produced (USA) — Heinz Tomato Catsup (ketchup) was produced, marketed, and later exported by the Heinz Company in the U.S. to Australia, South America, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK.

1878 – First Scoop Invented (Pennsylvania, USA) — The first scoop was invented by George William Clewell. This tool eliminated the need to use two spoons, which was what ice cream purveyors had done prior to this invention. 

1879 – First Artificial Sweetener Developed (USA) — The sugar substitute, Saccharin, was the first artificial sweetener and was originally synthesized by Remsen and Fahlberg.

1879 – Honey Dipper Invented (Luoisiana, USA) — The honey dipper was invented by William H. Perrin, who worked as an assistant chemist at the Cane Sugar Refinery Company in New Orleans.

1879 – Mechanical Cash Register Invented (Ohio, USA) — James Ritty of Dayton, Ohio invented the first mechanical cash register where buttons were arranged along the bottom of the dial cash register, recording the amount of a sale. 

1886 – Coca-Cola Invented (Georgia, USA) — The Coca-Cola drink was invented on May 8th, 1886 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA by Dr. John Stith Pemberton who was an American pharmacist, soldier, and inventor.

1889 – First Food Delivery Recorded (Italy) — The first recorded food delivery is believed to have taken place in Naples, Italy, in 1889 when King Umberto I and Queen Margherita of Savoy wanted to try the delicious pizzas of the famous pizza maker, Rafaele Esposito, in Naples. 

1890 – Candy Wrappers Created (England, UK) — Created by Milton S. Hershey, The “nickel bar chocolate” was introduced with its glossy white paper wrapper, gold-colored text, and a picture of a cow on it. The purpose wasn’t only to preserve the candy safely, because the candy wrappers became one of the most effective ways of communicating with customers.

1892 – Crown Cork Created (USA) — William Painter, known as the founder of Crown Holdings Inc., created a metal cap with a cork layer that protected the products inside. The crown cork revolutionized the beverage industry. 

1892 – Thermos Flask Invented (UK) — The vacuum flask was designed and invented by Scottish scientist Sir James Dewar as a result of his research in the field of cryogenics, and is sometimes called a Dewar flask in his honor. 

1894 – Corn Flakes Developed (USA) – John Harvey Kellogg and his younger brother, Will Keith Kellogg, developed corn flakes in 1894 as part of a diet regimen. 

1897 – Cotton Candy Machine Invented (Tennessee, USA) — Dentist, William James Morrison and his friend, John C. Wharton worked together to produce a machine called the “electric candy machine.” It melted sugar in a spinning central chamber that produced the spider-webby sweet that we now know as cotton candy.

1897 – Ice Cream Mold and Disher Patented (USA) — On February 2, 1897, the ice cream mold and disher invented by Alfred L. Cralle was patented. An ice cream scoop with a built-in scraper to allow for one-handed operation. Alfred’s functional design is reflected in modern ice cream scoops.

20th Century

1902 – Bread Maker Machine Patented (USA) — Joseph Lee patented the first bread machine, which mixed the ingredients and then kneaded the dough. 

1903 – Aluminum Foil Produced (Switzerland) — The earliest production of aluminum foil occurred in France. In 1911, Bern, Switzerland–based Tobler began wrapping its chocolate bars in foil. Their unique triangular bar, Toblerone, is still widely available today. Production of aluminum foil in the United States started in 1913.

1903 – Soda Maker Created (England) — A soda maker called SodaStream was created by George Gilbey. 

1904 – Iced Tea Originated (Missouri, USA) — Iced tea originated at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri.

1907 – First Paper Towels Introduced (Philadelphia, USA) — Scott Paper introduced the Sani-Towels, the first paper towels which were used in Philadelphia classrooms to help prevent the spread of the common cold from child to child.

1908 – Tea Bags Invented (USA) — The first tea bags made from silk were invented by Thomas Sullivan around 1908. 

1910s – Dough Mixer Invented (USA) — The stand mixer was invented in the early 1910s by Herbert Johnson, an engineer at Hobart Manufacturing Company, after he observed a baker laboring over mixing dough. Determined to simplify the process, Johnson’s solution was the Hobart Model-H, an 80-quart industrial mixer that was introduced in 1914. 

1911 – Egg Cartons Invented (Canada) — Newspaper editor Joseph Coyle of Smithers, British Columbia, invented the egg carton. Coyle patented his egg carton first in Canada on January 15, 1918, and in the United States on June 11, 1918. It is widely documented that the invention was the result of a debate over broken eggs between a farmer and a hotel owner in the vicinity of Coyle’s newspaper office.

1916 – Lollipop Making Machine Invented (USA) — Russian Immigrant, Samuel Born invented the lollipop-making machine in San Francisco called The Born Sucker Machine.

1920–1921 Commercial Iodized Salt Introduced (USA) — Commercial iodized salt in the USA was introduced. Table-salt makers introduced salt iodized with potassium iodine to prevent goiter.

1922 – Blender Invented (USA) — Stephen Poplawski invented the blender. He was the first to put a spinning blade at the bottom of a container and used his appliance to make soda fountain drinks.

1922 – Electric Kettle Invented (England) — Arthur Leslie Large invented the electric kettle. 

1922 – First Canned Dog Food Produced (USA) — The first canned dog food in the United States, was produced in 1922. Made of horse meat which was carefully marketed as “lean, red meat” and only disclosed in much smaller letters at the bottom of the packaging. 

1925 – Cheese Slicer Invented (Lillehammer, Norway) — The cheese slicer was invented by the Norwegian furniture maker, Thor Bjørklund in Lillehammer, Norway. He was granted a patent for the slicer on February 27, 1925.

1925 – Sandwich Maker Patented (USA) — Tostwich is possibly the earliest toasted sandwich maker, dating back to before 1920 invented by Charles Champion. However, it was not patented until 3 March 1925.

1926 – Range Hoods Invented (New York, USA) — The range hoods were first invented by Theodore R.N. Gerdes, who applied for a patent for “ventilating hood for ranges, etc.”

1927 – Bread Slicer Invented (USA) — The automatic commercial bread slicer was invented in 1927 by Otto Frederick Rohwedder from Iowa, USA (Rohwedder had worked on his machine since 1912). His machine both sliced and wrapped a loaf of bread.

1927 – First Garbage Disposer Built (USA) — Architect, inventor John W. Hammes built his wife the world’s first kitchen garbage disposer and sold it to the public after 10 years of design improvement. 

1929 – First French Press Patented (Italy) — The first patent of a French press that resembles what we use today was patented by the Italians, Attilio Calimani and Giulio Moneta. 

1930 – First White Chocolate Bar Created (UK) — Nestle made the world’s first white chocolate bar called Galak. 

1930s – First Industrial Juicing Machine Created (Arkansas, USA) — The first industrial juicing machine was created by Dr. Norman Walker. This machine squeezed and grated fruits and vegetables and then pressed them, making the process of juicing more readily available to consumers.

1933 – Induction Cooking Introduced (USA) — Induction cooking technology was first introduced at the “Century of Progress” World Fair at Chicago. 

1934 – Carbonic Maceration Invented (France) — Carbonic Maceration was invented by Michel Flanzy which involves placing the intact grape clusters into a closed tank with a carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere. The berries subsequently undergo an intracellular fermentation without yeast intervention. 

1936 – Hydraulic Grinding Machine Developed (Switzerland) — The world’s first hydraulically controlled cylindrical grinding machine was developed by Fritz Studer (STUDER).

1939 – First Chocolate Chip Cookie Invented (USA) — The first chocolate chip cookie called “Toll House Cookie” was invented by an American chef, Ruth Jones Graves Wakefield.

1940 – Mobile Refrigeration Patented (USA) — The Mobile Refrigeration technology was invented by Frederick Mckinley Jones, enabling the long-haul transportation of perishable goods, and was patented in 1940. 

1945 – First Microwave Oven Invented (USA) — The microwave was invented accidentally by a self-taught engineer named Percy Spencer, who was leading a radar project for the defense giant, Raytheon. 

1945 – Frozen Orange Juice Introduced (USA) — Frozen orange juice concentrate was introduced when U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists revealed a method to remove the liquid from fresh orange juice, creating a concentrate. 

1946 – Tupperware Developed (Massachusetts, USA) — Tupperware was developed by Earl Silas Tupper in Leominster, Massachusetts. He developed plastic containers used in households to contain food and keep them airtight, which featured a then-patented “burping seal”.

1946 – First Electric Food Processor Introduced (Germany) – One of the first electric food processors was the Starmix, introduced by German company Electrostar. 

1948 – UPC Codes Invented (USA) — Universal Product Codes (also called UPC’s or bar codes) were invented by Norman Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver from work which they began in 1948 and were first used in grocery stores in the early 1970’s.

1950 – Green Garbage Bags Invented (Canada) — The familiar green plastic garbage bag made from polyethylene was invented by Harry Wasylyk.

1951 – Tetra Paks Invented (Europe) — The Tetra Pak was invented by Ruben Rausing, a Swedish graduate from Columbia University. This paperboard-based package revolutionized Europe’s dairy industry; it could store liquids without refrigeration, and the box shape was easy to stack and ship.

1951 – Kettle Grill Invented (USA) — George Stephen invented the original Weber Kettle Grill in 1951.

1953 – First Electric Frying Pan Invented (USA) – The first electric frying pan was invented by Jepson Ivar, an officer of Sunbeam Corporation. 

1954 – Non-Stick Pan Invented (France) — French engineer Marc Grigoire invented the first Polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE-coated nonstick cooking pans at the suggestion of his wife. 

1954 – First Electric Drip Coffee Maker Invented (Germany) — The first electric drip coffee maker called the Wigomat was invented in Germany by Gottlob Widmann.

1955 – First Automatic Rice Cooker Used (Japan) — The first automatic rice cooker for household use went on sale in Japan. The company that made this cooker, Toshiba, spent five years developing it.

1958 – Instant Noodles Invented (Japan) — Instant noodles were invented by Momofuku Ando of Nissin Foods in Japan. They were launched under the brand name Chikin Ramen. 

1959 – Aluminum Cans Pioneered (USA) — William “Bill” K. Coors pioneered the use of aluminum cans. This led to the steady growth in sodas, energy drinks, sparkling waters and, increasingly, craft brew beers. 

1962 – Hawaiian Pizza Invented (Canada) — The “Hawaiian” pizza, a pizza topped with pineapple and ham, was invented in Canada by restaurateur Sam Panopoulos at the Satellite Restaurant in Chatham, Ontario.

1963 – First Ring Pull Introduced (USA) — Devised by Ermal Fraze in 1959, the first ring pull or pull-tab for cans was patented and introduced.

1968 – Ziploc Bags Developed — Ziploc is a brand of reusable, re-sealable sliding channel storage bags and containers originally developed and test-marketed by The Dow Chemical Company in 1968 and now produced by S. C. Johnson & Son. The plastic bags and containers come in different sizes for use with different products.

1970 – Sell-by-dates Introduced (UK) — “Sell-by-dates” or “best before” dates were introduced in Marks and Spencer’s store rooms in the 1950s before making its way onto the shelves in 1970. 

1971 – Cup Noodles Introduced (Japan) — Nissin then introduced Cup Noodles, the first cup noodle product in 1971.

1971 – Food Processor First Exhibited (Paris, France) — The food processor invented by Pierre Verdon, Le Magi-Mix, was first exhibited in Paris. 

1971 – Stove Top Stuffing Invented (USA) — The stuffing was invented by Ruth Miriam Siems and hit the shelves in 1971 under General Foods (Kraft Foods), when there was a high demand for convenient, non-perishable goods in the US. 

1973 – First Plastic Bottles Invented (USA) — The first plastic bottles that can contain carbonated drinks was invented by chemist Nathaniel Wyeth. This became the cheaper alternative to glass.

1973 – Salad Spinner Patented (France) — Gilberte Fouineteau, a French inventor, patented the modern salad spinner used to dry and drain vegetables and salads. 

1983 – Robot Waiters Introduced (California, USA) — A restaurant called the Two Panda Deli in Pasadena, California introduced Tanbo R-1 and Tanbo R-2 to their waiting staff, and are recognized by the Guinness World Record book to be the first restaurant to have housed robot waiters.

1985 – Irradiation on Pork Permitted (USA) — The Food and Drug Administration permitted meat producers to use irradiation on pork. The technique partially or completely sterilizes the meat which helps to control parasites that can cause trichinosis.

1994 – First QR Code System Invented (Japan) — The first QR code system that can be scanned by smartphones was invented by the Japanese company Denso Wave, a Toyota subsidiary. 

1995 – First Online Food Ordering App Founded (USA) — The first online food ordering service, World Wide Waiter (now known as Waiter.com), was founded in 1995. 

1999 – First Organic Restaurant Certified — In April 1999, Restaurant Nora in Washington DC became America’s first certified organic restaurant. This means that 95% or more of everything that you eat at the restaurant has been produced by certified organic growers and farmers. 

21st Century 

2002 – First Refrigerated Range Introduced (USA) — Whirlpool introduced the first refrigerated range at the National Association of Home Builders Show in Atlanta, 2002.

2003 – NutriBullet Blender Launched (USA) — A single-serve blender most commonly used for smoothies called the NutriBullet was launched. 

2003 – Peanut Butter Alternative Created (USA) — Sunbutter, a sunflower seed spread was created as a healthier peanut butter alternative and made available to the public.

2007 – First Meal Kit Launched (Sweden) — The first meal kit was launched in Stockholm Sweden called Middagsfrid (“Dinner Peace”) to help families enjoy home-cooked dinners without the logistics of meal planning and purchasing. This service delivered bags of groceries to customer’s doors and it was an instant success.

2007 – Silicone Ice Trays Appeared (USA) — The first silicone ice cube trays called Perfect Cube Ice Tray from Tovolo appeared in 2007. 

2009 – Instant Pot Invented (Canada) — Robert Wang invented the Instant Pot, offering home cooks a combination of a pressure cooker and a slow cooker in a single device. It became one of the hottest cooking trends of the decade.

2010 – Air Fryer Introduced (Berlin) — Philips introduced the Airfryer brand of convection oven at a consumer electronics fair in Berlin. It used the patented Rapid Air technology. The term “airfryer” is now often used generically. 

2010 – First Edible Spoon Developed (India) — Narayana Peesapaty, a researcher and agriculture consultant from Hyderabad, India, developed an edible spoon made of millet, rice and wheat flours. 

2013 – Coffee Brewing System Released (USA) — In 2013, an automatic drip and pour over technology called Keurig B60, a coffee brewing system designed by Keurig Inc., was released for home and commercial use.

2013 – Cronuts Created (USA) — Pastry chef Dominique Ansel is credited with creating cronuts, a pastry resembling a doughnut and is made from croissant-like dough at his bakery in New York.

2013 – Smart Trash Cans Invented (France) — GreenCREATIVE invented the first smart trash can, entirely designed and made in France. 

2014 – Cricket Flour Sold (Oregon, USA) — Charles B. Wilson developed the cricket flour as an alternative protein for his diet, due to food allergies, and started selling them en masse in 2014.

2014 – Edible Water Bottle Prototype Developed (UK) — Three Imperial College London design students, Rodrigo García González, Pierre-Yves Paslier and Guillaume Couche, developed a prototype of an edible bottle.

2014 – Countertop Multicooker Launched (Germany) — A countertop multicooker called Thermomix TM5 was launched in the U.S. on September 5, 2014. A German mega-appliance that combines the functions of a high-speed blender, slow-cooker, mixer, food processor, digital scale, sous-vide machine, steamer, and smartphone.

2018 – Beeswax Wrap Invented (Canada) — Toni Desrosiers invented the very first Beeswax food wrap, a sustainable reusable beeswax wrap designed to keep food fresh without using cling film to save plastic.

2019 – Portable Pizza Oven Introduced (Scotland) — On 26 February 2019, Ooni introduced the Ooni Koda, a gas-powered portable pizza oven capable of reaching 500 °C (932 °F) which cooks pizzas in 60 seconds.

2020 – Intelligent Multi-Steamer Designed (UK) — The Intellisteam Plastic Food Steamer, a multi-steamer from the leading brand Morphy Richards was designed to simplify steam cooking. The Intellisteam was launched in May 2020 as part of Morphy Richards’ suite of food preparation appliances. 

2021 – Food Composter Bin Sold (USA) — The Bamboozle Food Composter, made from biodegradable bamboo fiber, was first sold by Bamboozle in 2021. The bin converts organic waste into compost to help enrich soil in the backyard. 

2021 – Smart Irrigation System Introduced (Sweden) — Sweden’s IRRIOT, which stands for Irrigation Internet of Things, introduced the Smart Irrigation System which helps farmers water their fields through sensors, at the 2021 Social innovation Tournament in Portugal. 

2022 – Cordless Blender Launched (Switzerland) — Cordless and chargeable blender called bamix® was launched on February 22, 2022 in Mettlen, Switzerland which operates for up to 20 minutes. 

2022 – Automatic Breadmaker Launched (UK) — The automatic breadmaker for creating homemade loaves, SD-B2510 launched by Panasonic in 2022 was created with up to 21 automatic programmes to choose from. You can bake many kinds of bread such as whole wheat, rye, sourdough and brioche, or even cake, jam and pizza dough. 

2022 – Chamber Vacuum Sealer Launched (USA) — The Anova Precision Chamber Vacuum Sealer was launched by Anova Culinary on April 12, 2022. A chamber vacuum sealer that’s smaller and more user friendly than those typically found in professional and commercial kitchens.

2022 – Backpack Cooler Bag Launched (USA) — The Yeti brand launched its most expensive cooler bag called Hopper M20 Backpack. It’s designed to retain ice for a day. It also claims to be leak proof, waterproof, and have the ‘toughest zipper in the world. 

2022 – Fully Autonomous Tractor Introduced (USA) — Fully autonomous tractor that’s ready for large-scale production was introduced by John Deere during a press conference at the International Consumer Electronic Show (CES) 2022 in Las Vegas. Its purpose is to help farmers farm during the most critical conditions of the year.