Tracing U.S. influence in the construction of the global food regime

Abstract This article explores the transformative journey of agro-food, from the 17th-century discovery of agricultural chemical and physical properties to the modern era of biotechnology. By tracing the pivotal revolutions in food technology, this study reveals how scientific advancements have dramatically altered our understanding of food production, nutrition, and safety. The study highlights the pivotal role of U.S.-based multinational corporations in establishing international standards and examines the ethical implications of this influence. Harriet Friedmann and Philip McMichael’s Food Regime theory examines the United States’ dominance during the second food regime and the initiation of the third food regime, led by its corporate actors. The third food regime had its successes and controversies, and the significance of the study is to understand the globalisation of this food system. Drawing on secondary sources, this research examines these technological innovations’ causes, consequences, and importance, shedding light on the complex dynamics shaping the modern food system in the last decade of the 20th Century. The central question of the article is to understand how U.S. leadership in technological innovation and corporate expansion shaped the modern global food regime, and what are the resulting implications for international trade, food safety, and equity in the global food system? Ultimately, this article offers insights into the profound transformations that occurred during the transition from the second to the third food regime.