How the Refrigerator Changed Everyday Food

A household refrigerator is the last small link in a much larger cold chain. Milk may be chilled after collection, transported in a refrigerated tanker, processed in a cooled facility, moved through refrigerated warehouses and trucks, displayed in a store case, and carried home. The kitchen appliance continues a temperature-controlled journey already underway. Historical education based on the cited record. Where origin claims are disputed, the episode distinguishes evidence from popular retellings. Sources and further reading: - Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Keeping Your Food Cool: https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/keeping-your-food-cool-ice-harvesting-electric-refrigeration - Smithsonian National Museum of American History, How Electric Refrigeration Shaped the Cold Chain: https://www.americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/not-just-cool-convenience-how-electric-refrigeration-shaped-cold-chain - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Protecting the Ozone Layer: https://www.epa.gov/ozone-layer-protection