Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour and water, usually by baking.

Throughout
recorded history it has been popular around the world and is one of the oldest artificial foods,
having been of importance since the dawn of agriculture.
There are many combinations and proportions of types of flour and other ingredients, and also of
different traditional recipes and modes of preparation of bread. As a result, there are wide
varieties of types, shapes, sizes, and textures of breads in various regions. Bread may
beleavened by one of many different processes, ranging from reliance on naturally occurring
microbes (so-called "sourdough" recipes) to addition of chemicals or industrially produced yeast
to high-pressure artificial aeration methods during preparation or baking. However, some
products are cooked before they can leaven, sometimes for traditional or religious reasons. Many
non-cereal ingredients may be included, ranging from fruits and nuts to various fats. Commercial
bread in particular commonly contains additives, some of them non-nutritive, to improve flavor,
texture, color, shelf life, or ease of manufacturing.
Depending on local custom and convenience, bread may be served in various forms at any meal
of the day. It also is eaten as a snack, or used as an ingredient in other culinary preparations,
such as fried items coated in crumbs to prevent sticking, or the bland main component of a bread
pudding, or stuffings designed to fill cavities or retain juices that otherwise might drip away.
Partly because of its importance as a basic foodstuff, bread has a social and emotional
significance beyond its importance in nutrition; it plays essential roles in religious rituals and
secular culture. Its prominence in daily life is reflected in language, where it appears in proverbs,
colloquial expressions ("He stole the bread from my mouth"), in prayer ("Give us this day our
daily bread") and even in the etymology of words, such as "companion" and "company"
(from Latin com "with" + panis "bread").
Contents
[hide]

1Etymology
2History
3Types
4Properties
o 4.1Chemical composition
o 4.2Serving and consumption
o 4.3Nutritional significance
o 4.4Shelf life
o 4.5Crust
5Preparation
o 5.1Formulation
o 5.2Flour
o 5.3Liquids
o 5.4Leavening
5.4.1Chemicals
5.4.2Yeast
5.4.3Sourdough
5.4.4Steam

5.4.5Bacteria
5.4.6Aeration
o 5.5Fats or shortenings
o 5.6Bread improvers
6Cultural significance
o 6.1Asia
o 6.2Europe
o 6.3Latin America
o 6.4North Africa
o 6.5North America
o 6.6Religious significance
6.6.1Abrahamic religions
6.6.2Paganism
7Anti-bread movements
8In medicine
9See also
10References
11Further reading
12External links

Etymology[edit]
The word itself, Old English bread, is most common in various forms to many Germanic
languages, such as Frisian brea, Dutch brood, German Brot, Swedish brd,
and Norwegian andDanish brd; it has been claimed to be derived from the root of brew. It may
be connected with the root of break, for its early uses are confined to broken pieces or bits of
bread, the Latincrustum, and it was not until the 12th century that it took the placeas the
generic name for breadof hlaf (hlaifs in Gothic: modern English loaf), which appears to be the
oldest Teutonicname.[1] Old High German hleib[2] and modern German Laib derive from this ProtoGermanic word for "loaf", which was borrowed into Slavic (Polish chleb, Russian khleb) and
Finnic (Finnishleip, Estonian leib) languages as well.
In many cultures, bread is a metaphor for basic necessities and living conditions in general. For
example, a "bread-winner" is a household's main economic contributor and has little to do with
actual bread-provision. This is also seen in the phrase "putting bread on the table". The Roman
poet Juvenal satirized superficial politicians and the public as caring only for "panem et
circenses" (bread and circuses). In Russia in 1917, the Bolsheviks promised "peace, land, and
bread."[3][4] The term "breadbasket" denotes an agriculturally productive region.
In Slaviccultures bread and salt is offered as a welcome to guests. In India, life's basic
necessities are often referred to as "roti, kapra aur makan" (bread, cloth, and house). In Israel,
the most usual phrase in work-related demonstrations is lekhem, avoda ("bread, work").
The word bread is commonly used around the world in English-speaking countries as
a synonym for money[1] (as is the case with the word "dough"). A remarkable or revolutionary
innovation is often referred to in North America and the United Kingdom as "the greatest thing
since sliced bread" or "the best thing since sliced bread".

History[edit]
Main article: History of bread

Bread shop, Tacuinum Sanitatisfrom Northern Italy, beginning of the 15th century

Bread is one of the oldest prepared foods. Evidence from 30,000 years ago in Europe revealed
starch residue on rocks used for pounding plants.[5] It is possible that during this time, starch
extract from the roots of plants, such as cattails and ferns, was spread on a flat rock, placed over
a fire and cooked into a primitive form of flatbread. Around 10,000 BC, with the dawn of
the Neolithic age and the spread of agriculture, grains became the mainstay of making bread.
Yeast spores are ubiquitous, including the surface of cereal grains, so any dough left to rest will
become naturally leavened.[6]
There were multiple sources of leavening available for early bread. Airborne yeasts could be
harnessed by leaving uncooked dough exposed to air for some time before cooking. Pliny the
Elder reported that the Gauls and Iberians used the foam skimmed from beer to produce "a
lighter kind of bread than other peoples." Parts of the ancient world that drank wine instead of
beer used a paste composed of grape juice and flour that was allowed to begin fermenting, or
wheat bran steeped in wine, as a source for yeast. The most common source of leavening was to
retain a piece of dough from the previous day to use as a form of sourdough starter.[7]
In 1961 the Chorleywood bread process was developed, which used the intense mechanical
working of dough to dramatically reduce the fermentationperiod and the time taken to produce a
loaf. The process, whose high-energy mixing allows for the use of lower protein grain, is now
widely used around the world in large factories. As a result, bread can be produced very quickly
and at low costs to the manufacturer and the consumer. However, there has been some criticism
of the effect on nutritional value.[8]
Recently, domestic bread machines that automate the process of making bread have become
popular.

Types[edit]
See also: List of breads

Brown bread (left) and whole grain bread

Bread is the staple food of the Middle East, North Africa, Europe, and in European-derived
cultures such as those in the Americas, Australia, andSouthern Africa, in contrast to East Asia
where rice is the staple. Bread is usually made from a wheat-flour dough that is cultured with
yeast, allowed to rise, and finally baked in an oven. The addition of yeast to the bread explains
the air pockets commonly found in bread.[9] Owing to its high levels ofgluten (which give the
dough sponginess and elasticity), common wheat (also known as bread wheat) is the most
common grain used for the preparation of bread.
Bread is also made from the flour of other wheat species
(including durum, spelt and emmer), rye, barley, maize (corn), and oats, usually, but not always,
in combination with wheat flour. Spelt bread (Dinkelbrot) continues to be widely consumed in
Germany, and emmer bread was a staple food in ancient Egypt. Canadian bread is known for its
heartier consistency due to high protein levels in Canadian flour.

Pita is an ancient semi-leavened bread widespread in the Middle East, Levant and South
Eastern Europe.

White bread is made from flour containing only the central core of the grain (endosperm).

Brown bread is made with endosperm and 10% bran. It can also refer to white bread with
added coloring (often caramel) to make it brown; this is commonly labeled in America as
wheat bread (as opposed to whole-wheat bread).[10]

Wholemeal bread contains the whole of the wheat grain (endosperm, bran, and germ). It is
also referred to as "whole-grain" or "whole-wheat bread", especially in North America.

Wheat germ bread has added wheat germ for flavoring.

Whole-grain bread can refer to the same as wholemeal bread, or to white bread with added
whole grains to increase its fibre content, as in "60% whole-grain bread".

Classic French bread, boule.

Roti is a whole-wheat-based bread eaten in South Asia. Chapatti is a type of roti. Naan is a
leavened equivalent to these.

Granary bread (a registered trademark, owned by Rank Hovis[11]) is made from flaked wheat
grains and white or brown flour. The standard malting process is modified to maximise the
maltose or sugar content but minimise residual alpha amylase content. Other flavor
components are imparted from partial fermentation due to the particular malting process
used and to Maillard reactions on flaking and toasting.

Rye bread is made with flour from rye grain of varying levels. It is higher in fiber than many
common types of bread and is often darker in color and stronger in flavor. It is popular
in Scandinavia, Germany, Finland, the Baltic States, and Russia.

Unleavened bread or matzo, used for the Jewish feast of Passover, does not include yeast,
so it does not rise.

Sourdough bread is made to leaven using bacteria, rather than bakers yeast. A sourdough
starter might be used to introduce these bacteria easily, although they will also occur
naturally, given enough time..

Flatbread is often simple, made with flour, water, and salt, and then formed into flattened
dough; most are unleavened, made without yeast or sourdough culture, though some are
made with yeast.

Crisp bread is a flat and dry type of bread or cracker, containing mostly rye flour.

Hemp bread includes strongly flavored hemp flour or seeds. Hemp has been used for
thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine.[12] Hemp flour is the by-product from
pressing the oil from the seeds and milling the residue. It is perishable and stores best in the
freezer. Hemp dough won't rise due to its lack of gluten, and for that reason it is best mixed
with other flours. A 5:1 ratio of wheat-to-hemp flour produces a hearty, nutritious loaf high in
protein and essential fatty acids.[13] Hemp seeds have a relatively high oil content of 2535%,
and can be added at a rate up to 15% of the wheat flour. The oil's omega-6-to-omega-3
ratio lies in the range of 2:1-to-3:1, which is considered ideal for human nutrition.[14]

Quick breads usually refers to a bread chemically leavened, usually with both baking powder
and baking soda, and a balance of acidic ingredients and alkaline ingredients. Examples
include pancakes and waffles, muffins and carrot cake, Boston brown bread,
and zucchini and banana bread.

Gluten-free breads have been created in recent years[15] due to the discovery that people
affected by gluten-related disorders, such as coeliac disease and non-celiac gluten
sensitivitysufferers, benefit from a gluten-free diet.[16][17][18] Gluten-free bread is made with
ground flours from a variety of materials such as almonds, rice, sorghum, corn, or legumes
such as beans, but since these flours lack gluten they may not hold their shape as they rise
and their crumb may be dense with little aeration. Additives such as xanthan gum, guar gum,
hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), corn starch, or eggs are used to compensate for the
lack of gluten.

Properties[edit]
Chemical composition[edit]
In wheat, phenolic compounds are mainly found in hulls in the form of insoluble bound ferulic
acid where it is relevant to wheat resistance to fungal diseases.[19]
Rye bread contains phenolic acids and ferulic acid dehydrodimers.[20]
Three natural phenolic glucosides, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, p-coumaric acid
glucoside and ferulic acid glucoside, can be found in commercial breads containing flaxseed.[21]

Serving and consumption[edit]

Salmon cream cheese sandwiches

Bread can be served at many temperatures; once baked, it can subsequently be toasted. It is
most commonly eaten with the hands, either by itself or as a carrier for other foods. Bread can be
dipped into liquids such as gravy, olive oil, or soup; it can be topped with various sweet and
savory spreads, or used to make sandwiches containing myriad varieties of meats, cheeses,
vegetables, and condiments.
Bread may also be used as an ingredient in other culinary preparations, such as the use
of breadcrumbs to provide crunchy crusts or thicken sauces, sweet or savoury bread puddings,
or as a binding agent in sausages and other ground meat products.

Nutritional significance[edit]
Nutritionally, bread is known as an ample source for the grains category of nutrition. Serving size
of bread is standard through ounces, counting one slice of bread (white processed bread) as 1
oz. Also, bread is considered a good source of carbohydrates through the whole grains, nutrients
such as magnesium, iron, selenium, B vitamins, and dietary fiber. As part of the 2010 Dietary
Guidelines for Americans,[22] it is recommended to make at least half of the recommended total
grain intake as whole grains and to overall increase whole grains intake.

Shelf life[edit]
In 2009, a natural preservative for extending the shelf life of bread for up to two weeks (as
opposed to a few days) had been patented and licensed to Puratos, a Belgium-based baking
ingredients company that supplies to more than 100 countries. The breakthrough was pioneered
by Prof Elke Arendt at the University College Cork (UCC) by incorporating into the bread a lactic
acid bacteria strain which also "produces a fine crumb texture" and "improves the flavour, volume

and nutritional value of the food as well." Prior to this, "About 20% of all bread is thrown out due
to shelf-life issues."[23]

Crust[edit]
The bread crust is formed from surface dough during the cooking process. It is hardened and
browned through the Maillard reaction using the sugars and amino acids and the intense heat at
the bread surface. The nature of a bread's crust differs depending on the type of bread and the
way it is baked. Commercial bread is baked using jets that direct steam toward the bread to help
produce a desirable crust.
The crust of most breads is less soft, and more complexly and intensely flavored, than the rest,
and judgments vary among individuals and cultures as to whether it is therefore the less
palatable or the more flavorful part of a particular style of bread. Some manufacturers, including
as of September 2009 Sara Lee, market traditional and crustless breads.
The first and last slices of a loaf (or a slice with a high ratio of crust-area to volume compared to
others of the same loaf) are sometimes referred to as the heel or the crust of the loaf.[24]
Old wives tales suggest that eating the bread crust makes a person's hair curlier. Additionally,
the crust is rumored to be healthier than the rest. Some studies have shown that this is true as
the crust has more dietary fiber and antioxidants, notably pronyl-lysine.[25][26] The pronyllysine found in bread crust is being researched for its potential colorectal cancer inhibitory
properties.[27][28]

Preparation[edit]
It has been suggested that this section be split into an article
titled Bread making. (Discuss) (March 2016)

A baker prepares yeasted dinner rolls.

Doughs are usually baked, but in some cuisines breads are steamed (e.g., mantou), fried
(e.g., puri), or baked on an unoiled frying pan (e.g.,tortillas). It may be leavened or unleavened
(e.g. matzo). Salt, fat and leavening agents such as yeast and baking soda are common
ingredients, though bread may contain other ingredients, such
as milk, egg, sugar, spice, fruit (such as raisins), vegetables (such as onion), nuts (such
aswalnuts) or seeds (such as poppy). Referred to colloquially as the "staff of life", bread has
been prepared for at least 30,000 years. The development of leavened bread can probably also

be traced to prehistoric times. Sometimes, the word bread refers to a sweetened loaf cake, often
containing appealing ingredients like dried fruit, chocolate chips, nuts or spices, such as pumpkin
bread, banana bread or gingerbread.

Steps in bread making. This shows an unleavened Chilean tortilla.

Baking bread in East Timor

Fresh bread is prized for its taste, aroma, quality, appearance and texture. Retaining its
freshness is important to keep it appetizing. Bread that has stiffened or dried past its prime is
said to be stale. Modern bread is sometimes wrapped in paper or plastic film or stored in a
container such as a breadbox to reduce drying. Bread that is kept in warm, moist environments is
prone to the growth of mold. Bread kept at low temperatures, in a refrigerator for example, will
develop mold growth more slowly than bread kept at room temperature, but will turn stale quickly
due to retrogradation.
The soft, inner part of bread is known to bakers and other culinary professionals as the crumb,
which is not to be confused with small bits of bread that often fall off, called crumbs. The outer
hard portion of bread is called the crust. The crumb's texture is greatly determined by the quality
of thepores in the bread.

Formulation[edit]
Professional baker recipes are stated using a notation called baker's percentage. The amount of
flour is denoted to be 100%, and the amounts of the other ingredients are expressed as a
percentage of that amount by weight. Meas