Real Bread Campaign

After watching The Hairy Bikers start a new series on bread-making and cakes the other day, I've ran across news of the Real Bread Campaign.

It's a joint effort between Sustain and Andrew Whitley, an organic baker and author.

Britain produces almost 12 million loaves a day, but only 3% are produced by regional artisan bakers. The campaign's definition of "real" bread is bread made with flour, water, salt (not mandatory) and some yeast, either naturally occuring or industrial -- with no additives or added enzymes.

Most industrial bread is made by the Chorleywood Bread Process (CBP). Traditionally, most bread was fermented (allowed to rise) for many hours, often overnight. The CBP uses high-energy mixers and "a slew of chemicals" to make a very white loaf in double-quick time.

"In contrast, if you let dough ferment for long enough, natural and beneficial bacteria work to make the bread more digestible, nutritious and tasty. Most British bread is made too quickly for these bacteria to have a chance. Fermenting dough for six hours as opposed to 30 minutes removes around 80% of a potentially carcinogenic substance called acrylamide found in bread crusts, and long yeast fermentations conserve the highest levels of B vitamins in dough."

The Real Bread Campaign aims to inform people about the state of modern bread and where to find the real thing.

"It will encourage bakers to improve their methods and to reward (with new customers) those who are already making great bread. We'll be campaigning for honest labelling of all ingredients. We want individuals, schools and other institutions to make their own real bread ... It's even been calculated that making a loaf in a home breadmaker uses less energy than buying one in a supermarket. Bake your own and save the planet? I see the beginnings of a joyful and healthy domestic economy."