I don’t know if you have heard the latest buzz around Subway’s plans to remove a compound from their bread that is also found in yoga mats? It comes after the Environmental Working Group found azodicarbonamide was an ingredient in almost 500 food products. Turns out, the compound, is found in lots of commercial baked breads–and depending on who you ask, it is present in benign amounts or is potentially harmful in any amount {don’t it always seem to go?}.
The chemical is used to help maintain breads dough-y {that’s totally a word} texture. Opponents of the chemical say that it can lead to asthma and other respiratory issues, but again, the amount it takes for that is up for debate. The FDA has approved the use of azodicarbonamide for consumption as long as stays within 45 parts per million in the dough–which commercial breads do. {I have to admit, I don’t always feel safer when I hear the FDA has approved something.}
An online petition started by the foodbabe.com is what led Subway to remove the ingredient from their bread–which goes to show the power the consumer actually has over product ingredients.
So, what do you think, do you care about azodicarbonmide in your bread? Or are you okay with allowable amounts?
~Mavis
Elena says
It probably won’t kill you but that doesn’t mean it should be in our bread. I would prefer a shorter shelf life to adding a bunch of chemicals that don’t really belong in our food. I have become an avid reader of ingredients lately and I always purchase the product that has fewer ingredients and ingredients that I recognize, even if that means paying a little bit more.
lynne says
I’ve been making my own bread for about 7-8 months now. before that, I was buying local bakery bread at our Coop, but at $5-6 a loaf, it just got to be too pricey. I’ve gotten a system down, and a great recipe (Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat), and using the Mixmaster to knead it works wonders! Love the homemade bread!! (especially warm out of the oven!)
Gardenpat says
Been making our 9 grain wheat bread for years- figure it’s 25 cents/loaf. The recipe takes one hour from the time I start grinding my wheat to the time I am pulling two great looking (and tasty!) loaves out of the oven!!
When I make things from scratch & from my garden, I don’t need to worry about the “unknown” ingredients in them!! Plus it saves money too!!
deb says
gardenpat, do you have a blog? Would love to hear more about your homemade breads and garden. I was making my own bread for awhile and then got too busy. How do you slice the bread for sandwiches? Do you let it totally cool? I found I couldn’t slice them thin enough.
gardenpat says
Deb- I’m not interesting enough to have a blog but the recipe I use for 1 hour bread is pretty easy: I grind up some wheat (or you could use already ground wheat flour)
Into my kitchen-aid mixer I put: 3 cups hot water, 1/3 cup oil, 1/3 cup honey, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons yeast, 1 cup 9 grain cracked cereal (optional), 2 cups whole wheat flour. Turn on mixer- speed 2 (low)- keep adding flour until dough is ” cleaning” the bowl. Let it knead at that speed for 5 minutes. Turn oven to 170 degrees. Spray two regular size loaf pans with cooking spray. Turn off mixer. Take bread out and divide dough into 2 lumps. Take a lump of dough and flatten into a rectangle, then roll it up like a jelly roll. Pinch the short ends under the loaf and place in bread pan. Repeat with second lump of dough. Put loaf pans into oven @170 degrees for 15 minutes. Do not open oven door but after the 15 minutes, turn heat up to 350 degrees for another 30 minutes. Take out of oven and enjoy two beautiful full size loaves of bread! Wait (if you can!) until it cools to slice! I bought an older electronic slicer (Bosch) for $10. On eBay a few years ago and when the bread is cool I can slice it as thin as we want it for sandwiches. I only slice one loaf and wait until it’s gone before slicing the other. It also freezes well!
Jill says
gardenpat,
Your recipe sounds so simple, I’m going to give it a try. I usually stay away from yeast breads because I seem to always do something wrong. Thanks for sharing. Just one question, if I don’t use the 9 grain cereal, do I need to add another cup of flour? Thanks for your help!
gardenpat says
The amount of flour you use in this bread may vary from day to day due to humidity, etc., so I let the dough tell me when it’s had enough flour! When the dough scrapes the bowl clean as it is mixing in one nice blob, then it’s ready to start timing (5 minutes) the kneading! Also, I put a little flour on my counter or mat as I knead the dough. Easy-peasy, trust me! It was and is my go-to recipe for the years when we were raising our 11 children and now, when I want to give someone a quick gift! One hour! And 45 minutes of that, it’s in the oven so I can do other things near by!
Vanessa says
Thanks for the recipe!
Kristine Drumm says
Sounds wonderfully! Where can I get the recipe!
Teena says
It should b banned I will not tolerate it whichnis why I make my own. No poisons in my food
tracie says
It is an issue if I desire to eat half a loaf of bread. All of a sudden tyhast 45 becomes 450… Him if its not food it shouldn’t be allowed.
The Smallest Acre says
Just want to chime in on slicing bread for sandwiches. This one on Amazon is the one we have, though, I know we didn’t pay $33 for it. The bread keeps very well in it.
http://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Craft-Bread-Keeper-Expanding/dp/B000YJDIOM/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1395349156&sr=8-7&keywords=bread+slicer
deb says
Thank you! Will have to check this out. Now I’m off to visit your blog. 🙂
Tammy says
It’s more expensive, but I’ve switched to Ezekial bread. I would make my own but actually I feel like the sprouted wheat is better for me, and I’m counting calories for weight loss and homemade bread is 1) higher in calories per slice and 2) hard to stay out of! LOL So at least for now for my bread needs I’m buying Ezekial bread. 🙂
Barbee says
Who remembers ‘pink slime’?
FDA assured us that pink slime was perfectly wholesome food too. MMMMM…tasty!
What food mfgrs and retailers should have learned from that experience; is that the consumer (us) does not appreciate being kept in the dark (maybe even deceived) about what we are consuming. They take a huge risk with this deceitful practice-they face a huge potential backlash. The consumer has already proven that we have the power to choose.
Concerned parents: Sharpen your pencils, place pen to paper and send off those E-Mails. Find out if your fav brand is doing it and decide for yourself if you will continue to purchase that brand.
Never Forget: “Pink Slime”.
wendyinCA says
If that doesn’t convince you to make your own bread, I don’t know what will. It is SO easy, either by hand or with the bread machine. And the taste does not even compare to store bought, imho. 🙂
schmei says
We rarely buy commercial bread any more. Instead, the bread machine does the work for us! Our only problem is that we got the bread machine when it was just the two of us, and I think I’m going to need to give away the little one we have and upgrade to a bigger one, now that we’re (almost) a family of four.
leal says
If you want to sell your little bread machine – I would be interested. Or would like to know where to purchase a small one. I am a single and don’t want a large machine EVER again!!
You can email me at ennael54@yahoo.com if you would like to sell your little bread machine.
Leanne
Dianna says
Weird ingredients like that creep me out. They’re not food. Sure, you could probably take a bite of your yoga mat and not die, but who wants to? There are other things about the commercial bread-making process that bother me too, like the insane quantity of yeast that they use.
I usually make our own bread because I have the time for it, so why not? I try not to stress about it if I end up picking up a loaf at the store every once in awhile, though.
Cecily says
If we avoided additives and things that gross us out in our foods we would starve to death. Every single thing you buy at the store is allowed to contain 10 ppm of rat and insect droppings and insect parts. I may be in the minority here but I appreciate the rules put in place by the FDA. They developed the food labeling system that we all rely on to know what we are eating. Without them unscrupulous companies would try to sell us products that were rotten, mislabeled and not even food. The quantities of additives allowed in foods are safe. The FDA doesn’t just arrive at these numbers by random, they do extensive research to make sure that they are safe. No, I’m not associated with the FDA I just feel that if you can’t trust an entity whose mission is to protect you then who can you trust?
Sue in Maine says
I rarely eat prepared foods. I don’t starve, and it sure tastes better to prepare your own. It might take a little longer, but it sure is worth it, healthwise and tastewise.
Cecily says
I also rarely use prepared foods. I was referring not only to prepared foods but to ingredients purchased in stores such as flour and sugar.
Chris says
Azodicarbonamide is banned in Europe and Australia, so I’m not a fan of it being in my food. My wife and I bake white bread and rye bread at home – 2 loaves a week. Tastes better and I know what’s in it!
Kristin Z says
Well, arsenic and cyanide are natural, and hydrogen dioxide is a pretty good solvent. I wouldn’t eat the first two and can’t survive without the second…..
Anji Hempel says
Brands that are bromine-free
(non-bromated or un-bromated):
• Pepperidge Farms breads (I buy this all the time)
• Robin Hood flours
• King Arthur flours
• Sapphire flour (available in 50lb. bags or at your bulk foods stores)