Technology has had a profound impact on food availability throughout history. Here are two examples:

1. Railways and Steamships: In the nineteenth century, the development of faster railways and lighter-waggoned steamships helped connect agricultural regions to global markets. Food could now be transported more quickly and cheaply over long distances. This allowed surplus food from countries like America, Australia, and Russia to be shipped to feed the growing urban populations in Britain and Europe, dramatically increasing food availability and lowering prices.

2. Refrigerated Ships: The invention of refrigerated ships in the late nineteenth century revolutionised the meat trade. Previously, live animals were transported from America to Europe, which was expensive and inefficient. With refrigeration, animals could be slaughtered at the source and the frozen or chilled meat could be transported. This lowered shipping costs, brought down meat prices in Europe, and made meat, once a luxury, accessible to the working class, improving their diet and living standards.