The food industry leading up to the Progressive Era harmed American citizens as shown by the unsanitary working conditions/ treatment of workers, the overpriced food sales and the lack of food laws.
Working Conditions--- "Horrid for the workers" (Sinclair).
The unsanitary working conditions for the workers ultimately impacted the food as well. The food would get contaminated with disease and bacteria.
This made the food dangerous to eat, and got millions around the United Sates sick.
The Jungle By Upton Sinclair
This book was written to expose the issues of the meatpacking industry. The book made people realize how their food was being made, and they demanded a change.
Overpriced Food Sales
Many people could not afford quality food the 18th century. The prices of food were fluctuating greatly, and this made it so the lower class citizens were forced to buy unsanitary food.
There were different classes of people in this time, and different classes can buy different food. The lower class people got old meat and bread, while the higher class people got to enjoy gourmet meals.
Ex- The price of flour went from 23 cents to 36 cents per pound from 1884-1894
Food Laws
In 1906, 2 of the most important food laws in history were passed; the Pure Food and Drug act and the Meat inspection Act.
Both of these laws stated that a company could not falsely list the ingredients in their products, all food labels must be accurate, and no harsh chemicals should be used in the process of making the food.
The FDA was founded right after these laws were passed, and all of these laws are still in use today.
