Who authored the book that led to reforms in food safety and regulation in the early 20th century?

The book that is widely recognized for prompting reforms in food safety and regulation in the early 20th century is "The Jungle," written by Upton Sinclair. Published in 1906, Sinclair's work exposed the unsanitary conditions and brutal exploitation faced by immigrant workers in the meatpacking industry in Chicago. The vivid and shocking descriptions of the conditions in the meatpacking plants brought attention to the issues of food contamination and labor abuses, stirring public outrage.

This public outcry contributed to the passage of important legislation, such as the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act, both enacted in 1906. These laws aimed to ensure that food products were safe for consumption and that meat was processed under sanitary conditions, marking a significant advancement in food regulation. Upton Sinclair's intentions were to promote labor reform, but the unintended consequences of his book were far-reaching in the realm of food safety, illustrating the power of literature to influence social change.