Chilling Revelations: How Refrigeration Transformed Our Food, Planet, and Lives

In a world where convenience and global accessibility have become the norm, the impact of refrigeration on our food system is both profound and far-reaching. Nicola Twilley's book "Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed Our Food, Our Planet, and Ourselves" delves into the intricate web of how this technological marvel has reshaped our relationship with the food we consume, the environment we inhabit, and the very essence of our culinary experiences.

Uncovering the Hidden Costs of Convenience

The Synthetic Cryosphere and the Shrinking Natural World

The United States alone houses a staggering 156 million cubic meters of refrigerated space, storing meat, fruits, and vegetables that have been chilled or frozen, destined for dinner plates far and wide. Twilley's firsthand exploration of these chilled underground caverns and giant surface-level storage facilities reveals a world where food is seen as a neutral, tradeable commodity rather than something with an intimate connection to our lives.The accelerating growth of this synthetic cryosphere, the network of refrigerated spaces, is contributing to the shrinking of the planet's natural counterparts. As a result, we may no longer be able to discern whether the apple we're eating was picked five minutes or a year ago, and its nutritional value may have been diminished by time. Moreover, the variety of produce available has dwindled, as growers prioritize qualities that make them shippable over those that enhance flavor and nutrition.

The Blandness of Convenience

The tomato, once a vibrant and flavorful staple, has been transformed into a round, red, and hard-as-a-ping-pong-ball version, optimized for shipping and storage rather than taste. Bananas, which account for 10% of grocery store sales, have also been subjected to the demands of the cold chain, becoming starchy, bland, and extremely resilient to shipping, rather than showcasing the diverse flavors and textures found in their less commercially viable counterparts.This trend is not limited to the United States; China is now undergoing a similar cold-chain development, with big cities becoming as supermarket-laden and integrated into the nation's still-small cold chain as those in the West. However, rural China remains resistant to the blandness of the varieties produced by this "cold rush," with some voices mocking the idea that palates will ever adapt to the relative lack of flavor.

Forgotten Flavors and Forgotten Histories

The most talked-about meal of 1911 in the US was a five-course banquet entirely of formerly frozen foods, prepared in Chicago to promote refrigeration to a skeptical public. While this technology would eventually help reduce the toll of diarrhea and gastric infections, a common cause of death at the time, it also led to a form of "forgetfulness" about the true flavors of fresh, unprocessed foods.Historian William Cronon, in his research on Chicago's meat industry, has noted that this forgetfulness is one of the least noted yet most important effects of refrigeration. Those who have experienced the rich, chicken-y flavor of a small-scale, minimally processed chicken can attest to the stark difference from the industrialized version, pumped full of additives to maintain its plumpness during freezing and shipping.

Adapting to the Cold Chain

Twilley observes that younger Chinese urbanites, born and raised in cities rather than migrating from the countryside, seem more accustomed to shopping in bulk for foods that will conveniently sit in their freezers until needed. Traditional preservation methods, such as pickling, salting, and drying, are often missed and associated with ancestral homes, but not practical options for those living in small apartments.However, Twilley sees hope in emerging technologies, such as a coating that can be easily and cheaply applied by smallholders to control the respiration of fruits and vegetables, allowing them to be preserved at room temperature. This could potentially enable Chinese farmers to skip the energy-intensive and environmentally taxing cold chain altogether, and bring back the vibrant flavors of produce that have been lost to the demands of industrial-scale refrigeration.

Reclaiming Deliciousness and Seasonality

Twilley encourages us to let our taste buds be our guide, as they have evolved to perceive natural, nutritious foods as delicious. She advocates for embracing the seasonality of produce, savoring the unique flavors of rhubarb, cherries, and apples when they are at their peak, rather than settling for the year-round availability of a limited selection.By recognizing the trade-offs between convenience and flavor, and exploring alternative preservation methods, Twilley hopes to prompt a nuanced discussion about the role of refrigeration in our food system – where it is necessary, where it can be avoided, and how we can mitigate its negative impacts while embracing its positive potential.