INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BREAD

We all like eating great bread but it can also be fascinating to learn some interesting facts about bread.

Bread Trencher

In mediaeval times a bread trencher was a thick slice of dry, stale wholemeal bread used as a sort of absorbent plate. It was about 6 inches by 4 inches and had a shallow hollow (or trench) cut into it in order to retain any garvy or juices.

At the end of the meal the trencher could be eaten, given to the poor, or fed to the dogs. In the fifteenth century trenchers made of wood started to replace those made from bread.

Sliced Bread

Otto Frederick Rohwedder is generally credited with inventing the first machine to slice bread. He built a first prototype in 1912 but bakeries were reluctant to use it because they were concerned that bread would go stale more quickly if it was sliced. In 1928 Rohwedder invented a machine that both sliced and wrapped bread, and this proved to be much more popular.

"The greatest thing since sliced bread" is a phrase commonly used to describe an innovative achievement.

Chorleywood Bread Process

The Chorleywood Bread Process is the method used to make the majority of the bread in the UK. It is also known as the "no time method".

It is a process that takes only three and a half hours to go from base ingredients to a sliced and packaged loaf. It does this by introducing several minutes of high energy into the baking process, which substantially reduces the fermentation time. The large amount of energy used generates high temperatures which, when coupled with a big dose of yeast raises the dough.

Bread Additives

Commercial bakers often use a lot of adiitives, such as:

• Calcium propionate which inhibits mould
• Ammonium chloride is a form of nitrogen used by yeast to build protein
• Soy or canola oil and shortening gives bread larger volume, finer cell structure, tender crust and soft texture
• Gluten is added for better texture and doughiness
• Genetically modified soy flour makes a whiter crumb
• Esters of monoglycerides and diglycerides which act as emulsifiers and anti-staling agents
• Diacetyl tartaric acid is a chemical leavening agent
• Stearoyl-2-lactylate which increase dough absorbtion, improves mixing tolerance and machinability of dough, accelerates proof time, improves grain and texture, creates crust tenderness and extends shelf life
• Dextrose is an easily fermentable sugar to feed the yeast
• Starch enzymes and protein enzymes to quickly break down starches to sugars to feed the yeast and to mellow the gluten to reduced mechanical mixing times.
• Emulsifiers (E471 and E472) are added as "anti-staling agents" to prevent loss of water.
• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid, E300) is added to "improve" and strengthen the flour, making it easier to mix the dough at high speed.