Refrigeration, Making Jams Voted The Best Things Since Sliced Bread

Actually, it seems sliced bread actually isn't that great, at least according to the Royal Society scientists, who ranked a list of 20 food and drink innovations that have changed the food world. While baking, the plough, the fishing net, the cork, and frying all made the cut, "sliced bread" is nowhere on the list.

Instead, refrigeration won the top honors, followed by pasteurization/sterilization, canning, the oven, irrigation, and the threshing machine, The Daily Mail reports. "Refrigeration has played the biggest role of any innovation in improving the diets of millions of people," Sir Peter Williams told the Daily Mail. "It is responsible for bringing a more varied, interesting, nutritious, and more affordable diet to an ever increasing number of people."

Pasteurization/sterilization got props for reducing the amount of foodborne illnesses, while canning helps elongate the lifespan of food, plus makes for easy transportation.

The rankings were based on levels of accessibility, productivity, aesthetics, and health. Frying, unfortunately for fries fans, came in last at 20th. Check out the full rankings over on The Daily Mail. Then compare to The Daily Meal's own rankings of the most important food and drink inventions.