The 1910s saw the implementation and refinement of the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, as the federal government began to enforce the new regulations. The decade also saw the rise of the Progressive Era reform movement, which sought to address social and economic problems through government action. Food safety was a key concern of the Progressives, who pushed for stronger regulation and consumer protection.

The Progressive Era was a period of intense literary and political activity, with writers like Upton Sinclair, Ida Tarbell, and Lincoln Steffens exposing corruption and advocating for reform. The food safety movement was a central part of this reform effort, and it inspired a wave of muckraking journalism and literature. The decade also saw the rise of food writing as a genre.