# 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.

- **Patent:** US 1773079
- **Original title:** Method of preparing food products
- **Owner:** Frosted Foods Co Inc
- **Granted:** 1930
- **Status:** Public domain (expired)
- **Times cited:** 14
- **Field:** mechanical, consumer_electronics

## What it does

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.

## 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

## 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.

## Real-world examples

1. Frozen vegetable bags in supermarket freezers
2. Flash-frozen fish fillets
3. Pre-packaged frozen meals

## Why it matters

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.

## 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

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/1773079/frozen-food-birdseye

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US1773079

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._


## Related patents

Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus:

- [How Percy Spencer Invented the Microwave Oven](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2495429/microwave-oven-cooking) — This 1945 patent describes the process of using concentrated microwave energy to cook food, the fundamental technology behind the modern microwave oven.
- [How John Harvey Kellogg Invented Flaked Breakfast Cereals](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/558393/corn-flakes-kellogg) — A foundational 1896 patent describing the process of creating thin, toasted flakes from cooked grains, which launched the modern breakfast cereal industry.
- [How the 1940 Nachumsohn Cooking Apparatus Works](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/2187888/crock-pot-slow-cooker-naxon) — A 1940 patent for a cooking device designed to heat food efficiently using an enclosed chamber and specific heat distribution methods.
- [How Cup Noodles Are Designed to Cook Perfectly](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/3997676/cup-noodles-instant-ramen-ando) — A 1976 patent describing the specific shape, density, and placement of dehydrated noodles inside a cup to ensure they cook evenly and quickly when hot water is added.
- [How Microwave Crisping Sleeves Work](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4267420/microwave-popcorn-susceptor) — General Mills' 1978 patent on using a thin, metal-coated plastic wrap that converts microwave energy into intense surface heat to crisp and brown food like Hot Pockets.