How Clarence Birdseye Invented Modern Frozen Food
This 1930 patent describes the process of rapidly freezing food in small packages to prevent the formation of large ice crystals that ruin texture and flavor.
Original patent title: “Method of preparing food products”
This 1930 patent describes the process of rapidly freezing food in small packages to prevent the formation of large ice crystals that ruin texture and flavor. Granted to Frosted Foods Co Inc in 1930 with 14 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent details a method for preserving food by placing it into small, uniform containers and subjecting them to rapid, intense cold. By accelerating the freezing process, the invention prevents the growth of large, jagged ice crystals that typically puncture cell walls in meat, fish, and vegetables. This preservation technique ensures that when the food is thawed, it retains its original cellular structure, flavor, and nutritional quality.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover slow-freezing methods that result in large ice crystal formation
- Does not cover the chemical preservation of food through additives or pickling
- Does not cover the specific mechanical design of the refrigeration units themselves
- Does not cover freeze-drying or dehydration processes
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation was recognizing that the size of ice crystals is directly tied to the speed of freezing; by controlling the rate of heat extraction, he could preserve the food's biological integrity.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Frozen vegetable bags in supermarket freezers
Flash-frozen fish fillets
Pre-packaged frozen meals
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent is the foundation of the modern frozen food industry. Before Clarence Birdseye's work, frozen food was often mushy and unappealing, leading consumers to distrust the quality of preserved goods. His process turned frozen food from a niche, low-quality product into a staple of the global grocery supply chain.
Filed
June 18, 1927
Granted
August 12, 1930
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
General Foods Corporation acquired Birdseye's company and scaled the technology globally. Today, major food conglomerates like Nestlé and Conagra continue to refine these rapid-freezing principles in their industrial supply chains.
Market impact
This patent effectively launched the multi-billion dollar frozen food industry. It enabled the mass distribution of perishable goods across the United States, fundamentally changing how households shop and eat.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent details a method for preserving food by placing it into small, uniform containers and subjecting them to rapid, intense cold. By accelerating the freezing process, the invention prevents the growth of large, jagged ice crystals that typically puncture cell walls in meat, fish, and vegetables. This preservation technique ensures that when the food is thawed, it retains its original cellular structure, flavor, and nutritional quality.
The clever bit
The innovation was recognizing that the size of ice crystals is directly tied to the speed of freezing; by controlling the rate of heat extraction, he could preserve the food's biological integrity.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover slow-freezing methods that result in large ice crystal formation
- Does not cover the chemical preservation of food through additives or pickling
- Does not cover the specific mechanical design of the refrigeration units themselves
- Does not cover freeze-drying or dehydration processes
Patent Journey
From filing to expiry
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
23/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$8K – $25K
Midpoint $15K · expired or expiring · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Clarence, B. (1930). How Clarence Birdseye Invented Modern Frozen Food (U.S. Patent No. 1,773,079). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1773079/frozen-food-birdseye
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
Embed
Add this patent to your site
Drop this plain-English patent card into any blog post or article — free, no signup. It always links back to the full breakdown here.
<div data-patentlens-widget data-patent-number="US1773079"></div> <script src="https://patentbrief.org/embed.js" async></script>
Stay in the loop
Get a weekly digest of new patents.
One email per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Keep exploring
Related patents you should know
US 4683195 · 1987
How to Make Billions of Copies of a DNA Segment
This patent describes the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a method to rapidly create many copies of a specific piece of DNA or RNA, enabling its detection and analysis.
Cetus Corp
US 8697359 · 2014
How to Edit Genes in Human Cells Using an Engineered CRISPR System
This patent describes an engineered CRISPR-Cas9 system for precisely cutting DNA in eukaryotic cells to change how genes work, opening the door for gene editing in complex organisms.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
US 7657849 · 2010
How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
Apple's 2010 patent describes unlocking a device by dragging a specific graphical image across the touchscreen along a predefined path, a gesture that became iconic with the original iPhone.
Apple Inc
US 4733665 · 1988
How Doctors Implant a Permanent Stent Using a Balloon
This patent describes the method for placing a permanent, expandable wire mesh tube inside a blood vessel or other body tube using a balloon-tipped catheter to widen it and keep it open.
Expandable Grafts Partnership
US 4405829 · 1983
How RSA Public-Key Encryption Keeps Digital Messages Secret
This patent describes the foundational RSA algorithm, a method for securely sending messages where anyone can encrypt a message using a public key, but only the intended recipient can decrypt it using a secret private key.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
US 4575330 · 1986
How 3D Printers Build Objects Layer by Layer from Liquid
This patent describes the foundational method for 3D printing, where a machine builds a three-dimensional object layer by layer by hardening a liquid material with light or other energy.
UVP Inc
Semantically similar
You might also find these interesting
US 2495429 · 1950 · Raytheon Manufacturing Co
How Percy Spencer Invented the Microwave Oven
US 558393 · 1896 · John Harvey Kellogg
How John Harvey Kellogg Invented Flaked Breakfast Cereals
US 2187888 · 1940
How the 1940 Nachumsohn Cooking Apparatus Works
US 3997676 · 1976 · Nissin Shokuhin KK
How Cup Noodles Are Designed to Cook Perfectly
More to explore
More in Consumer Electronics
US 7657849 · 2010 · Apple Inc
How the iPhone's Slide-to-Unlock Gesture Works
US 7479949 · 2009 · Apple Inc
How Touchscreens Understand Your Finger Swipes and Scrolls
US 4528643 · 1985 · FPDC Inc
How Stores Make Custom Products On-Demand with Remote Approval
US 7469381 · 2008 · Apple Inc
How Touchscreens Show and Snap Back When You Scroll Past an Edge
New to patents?
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Clarence Birdseye Invented Modern Frozen Food cover?
This 1930 patent describes the process of rapidly freezing food in small packages to prevent the formation of large ice crystals that ruin texture and flavor.
Who owns patent US 1773079?
Frosted Foods Co Inc owns this patent, granted in 1930.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 1773079 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 14 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent is the foundation of the modern frozen food industry. Before Clarence Birdseye's work, frozen food was often mushy and unappealing, leading consumers to distrust the quality of preserved goods. His process turned frozen food from a niche, low-quality product into a staple of the global grocery supply chain.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover slow-freezing methods that result in large ice crystal formation
Patent monitoring