Revolutionizing Our Plate: How the Cold Chain Made Global Food Possible

Explore the wonders of your refrigerator, a testament to modern ingenuity. Inside, you'll find raspberries from California, butter from New Zealand, and steak from Nebraska - all thanks to the revolutionary technology known as the cold chain. The cold chain refers to the uninterrupted cooling process that food undergoes from farm to truck, warehouse, grocery store, and finally your home refrigerator. This remarkable innovation is one of the cornerstones of our contemporary world. In this feature, we delve into the fascinating narrative of how our world transformed into a cold paradise, and its significant impact on global economics. We will introduce you to two pioneers in refrigeration: The thrifty meat magnate Gustavus Swift, and the relentless train-traveling chemist Polly Pennington. We'll also examine the potential challenges that this widespread cooling may have triggered. Subscribe to our premium service for exclusive content. Listen for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the NPR app, or any podcast platform. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or sign up for our weekly newsletter. Today's episode of Planet Money was hosted by Nick Fountain and Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi. It was produced by James Sneed and edited by Keith Romer. Fact-checking was handled by Sierra Juarez, while Valentina Rodríguez Sánchez engineered the episode. Alex Goldmark serves as Planet Money's executive producer.