July 7th 2024.
Throughout history, baking has undergone a significant transformation - from the traditional bakeries of the past to the modern-day supermarket shelves. In today's world, it is not uncommon to find items like four pints of milk, chicken breasts, cheddar cheese, and a loaf of sliced bread on the average family's shopping list. However, if you were to take a stroll down the bread aisle of a typical supermarket, you might find it hard to believe that pre-sliced loaves have only been available in the UK for less than a century.
Bread, in all its various forms, has been a staple in the human diet for thousands of years. It has been enjoyed in the form of flatbreads, rolls, and loaves, serving as a cornerstone of our daily sustenance. But have today's shoppers become too accustomed to the convenience of grabbing a pre-sliced loaf for a quick sandwich without truly appreciating the innovation behind it?
The first commercial use of a bread slicing machine was introduced at the Chillicothe Baking Company in Missouri on July 7, 1928. It wasn't until the 1930s that this innovation made its way across the pond to the UK, with the Wonderloaf Bakery in north London installing their own slicing machine in 1935. This bakery, captured in a photo from the 1960s, was the first in the UK to adopt this technology, making sliced bread a staple on shopping lists across the country.
Since then, the humble loaf has continued to evolve and innovate in the almost 100 years since its commercial debut. The man behind the first bread slicing machine, Otto Frederick Rohwedder, faced numerous obstacles before achieving success. His first prototype, built in 1912, was destroyed in a fire, and it took him another 16 years to develop a fully functional machine.
By the 1950s, 20 years after the bread slicing machine was introduced to the UK, over 80% of bread sold was pre-sliced. Other advancements, such as the Chorleywood Bread process, allowed for faster dough preparation and industrial-scale baking. Caroline Kenyon, the founder of the World Bread Awards, explains that this method was not only for convenience but also clever marketing to encourage people to eat more bread.
In the 1960s, the Chorleywood Bread process revolutionized the bread baking industry, utilizing various additives such as yeast, fats, and chemicals to speed up the dough-making process. Today, more than 90% of bread consumed in the UK is made using this method. However, there is a growing movement towards the Real Bread process, which only uses basic ingredients like wheat, flour, and salt. Many believe this method to be healthier for the gut.
Baking is both a science and an art, constantly evolving as we discover new grains, alternatives to sugar and oils, and ways to understand chemistry better. It is an industry that never stops innovating, always seeking to improve and adapt. And while sliced bread originated in the US, UK bakers are proud to point out that our loaves are nutritionally superior.
According to the Federation of Bakers, bread made in the UK contains significantly lower levels of fat and sugar compared to the US, with no trans-fats. Our bread also has less salt but more fiber and essential nutrients, thanks to the Bread and Flour Regulations that control the production of white flour in the UK. This flour is fortified with calcium, iron, niacin, and thiamin, making it a healthier option than its American counterpart.
Bread is a versatile food that can be enjoyed in various ways, from a simple beans on toast to your favorite lunchtime sandwich or a delicious bread and butter pudding. It has been a vital part of our diet for centuries and will continue to evolve and adapt, providing us with sustenance and comfort for years to come.
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