Lloyd Augustus Hall
Lloyd Hall was a pioneer in the field of food chemistry, creating many of the preservative chemicals that are now used to keep food fresh without losing its flavor. His "flash-dried" salt crystals combined the preservative effect of sodium chloride with the curative action of sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite. Far superior to any products then available, they helped to revolutionize the meatpacking industry.
Born in Elgin, Illinois, in 1894, Hall was an extraordinarily determined and gifted student. Before graduating at the top of his class, he was captain of his high school speech and debate team, and he competed in football, track and baseball. His many accomplishments led four colleges to offer him scholarships. He decided to enroll at Northwestern University in Chicago, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical chemistry in 1914, followed by his master’s degree in 1916. He later would earn his doctorate from Virginia State College in 1944.
After earning his master’s degree, Hall was hired by one company over the phone due to his strong communication skills. However, when he showed up for his first day of work, he was turned away because of his race. Hall persevered, accepting a position as a chemist for the Department of Health in Chicago, and later as chief chemist at the John Morrell Co., a business specializing in meat processing.
Applying the experience he gained at John Morrell Co., Hall became the chief chemist and director of research at Griffith Laboratories, a food processing company where he would remain for much of his 34-year career. Here, Hall began exploring the science behind curing meats. Though combining table salt with potassium nitrate had been the most popular curing method, Hall believed he could improve the process, so he tried using combinations of sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate (saltpeter) and sodium chloride (table salt).
Hall encountered a small problem when experimenting with this new method. He realized that the sodium nitrite and nitrate were affecting the meat much faster than table salt, causing the meat to fall apart before preservation could take place. To solve this, Hall mixed three different salt chemicals together and evaporated the mixture over hot meat rollers, which created flash-dried crystals. His new mixture was then able to properly preserve the meat.
Over time, Hall realized that his flash-dried crystals were absorbing moisture through the air while they were stored, reducing their effectiveness. To solve this problem, he concocted a solution of glycerin and alkali metal tartrate that turned the crystals into powder.
Through ingenuity and experimentation, Hall had developed a clear improvement over existing curing methods. In fact, his patented method of curing meats still is used today.
Hall later introduced the use of antioxidants to prevent spoilage of fats and oils in bakery products. He demonstrated that many spices and flavorings, such as ginger and cloves, actually exposed foods to various microbes rather than acting as preservatives as was commonly believed. In response, he devised a special process known as the Ethylene Oxide Vacugas treatment to control the growth of molds and bacteria while maintaining appearance, taste and aroma.
Hall held more than 100 U.S. and foreign patents for his trailblazing discoveries in the field of food preservation. He retired from Griffith Laboratories in 1959, and in the same year received an honorary membership award from the American Institute of Chemists.
Dedicated to public service, Hall was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to the American Food for Peace Council and oversaw the donation of food to developing nations from 1962 through 1964. Upon his death in 1971, he received honorary doctorates from Virginia State University, Howard University and the Tuskegee Institute.