C4IP is recognizing Lloyd Hall, whose invention of food preservatives helped to reduce global food spoilage and hunger.
Born in Elgin, Illinois, in 1894, Lloyd Hall was a dedicated student. Hall earned a scholarship to Northwestern University and earned his Bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical chemistry in 1916. He next attended graduate school at the University of Chicago. As a Black man in the early twentieth century, Hall’s prospects for employment were limited despite his impressive academic record. Nonetheless, he found success working as a chemist for the Chicago Department of Health, the John Morrell Company, and the United States Ordnance Department during World War I.
After the war, Hall joined Griffith Laboratories in Chicago, where his research into preservatives gained prominence. At the time, salt was the primary method for preserving food. But as Hall discovered, the chemicals were counterproductive, breaking down the meat they were supposed to preserve. To address this issue, Hall developed and patented a “flash-drying” method that retained the salt’s preservative qualities while removing its harmful ones. Hall also secured patents for antioxidants and a method to prevent food spoilage from bacteria. In total, Hall earned nearly 60 patents.
Hall’s innovations revolutionized food preservation practices and represented a significant advancement in an industry now valued at nearly $3 billion per year globally. Beyond preventing disease and saving lives, food preservation enhances efficiency in the production, transportation, and sale of food, resulting in cost savings for consumers and reduced food waste. A strong patent system supported Hall’s research, protecting his groundbreaking solutions and fostering ongoing advancements that benefit people around the world.