History of Bread
History
of Bread
Grains and products related to it,
particularly bread, constitute the main part of the foods of most nations all
over the world. No doubt, bread is one of the most ancient productions of human
beings. The bread we eat today has a six-thousand year history. Using leavened
dough for making bread was discovered by experience. Ancient Egyptians were
among the first nations who used yeast in baking bread.
Wheat is planted more than any other
plant in the world. Its species and numbers that are planted on earth are more
than any other seed plant. All over the world, no month passes without planting
or harvesting wheat.
In the present world, wheat is not
only a vital food material, but is strategically and politically as important
as oil: the weapon of wheat is more powerful than military weapons. The
political and economic significance of grains, particularly wheat, results from
the fact that the exporters of grains are an organized and united group. This
unity has increased the power of these countries termed as the "Green
Power." Food boycott is one of the powerful weapons of this group.
Therefore, in countries such as Iran which have high range of bread
consumption, we have to do our best to plant wheat by right methods, to promote
the quality of seed, to improve the ways of seed storage and grind and finally
to decrease the bread waste.
Bread and farinaceous products are
the most important nutrition sources for Iranian people. Furthermore, these
products are the main source of calories, protein and B vitamins as well as
mineral ingredients.
Up to the last three decades, bread
was made by traditional methods. After that when the producers of bulked bread
gradually started their work alongside the traditional units, this modern
method was continued without any research or codified plan. Whereas, production
of good bread requires subtle information on flour, the methods of making
dough, leavening and precision in the bakery system. Careful packaging and
storing of bread paves the way for the decrease of bread waste and as a result
moving toward self-sufficiency and economy in wheat consumption. Considering
the application of new methods for producing and processing dough, appropriate
machines and modern technologies, good bread with higher nutritional values and
more economical methods can be produced. The history of bread production and
consumption in the world shows that bread was first produced in thin and flat
forms, but gradually it was baked in semi-bulked and, in advanced countries, in
complete bulked forms.
Attaining the self-sufficiency in
the production of wheat in 2004 is one of the honors of the Islamic Republic of
Iran. However, what must be taken into consideration is the way of storing the
seeds and building standard silos (Unfortunately, standard silos of Iran can
store only one-third of the wheat production.). The appropriated transportation
and grind of seeds according to the type of bread is very important. The flour
quality varies with the weather conditions, type of seed and the manner of
planting, harvesting and grinding.
Achieving the desirable quality of
the product requires special knowledge and profession in the field. Although
the alterations in the seed quality are in no relation with the owners of the
flour industry, they have to be able to acquire the necessary knowledge and
skill in order to improve the quality of flour.
If we look at the issue of bread in
our country from different angles, we'll come to this conclusion that in the
communication era, the existing waste in bread sector is not logical. The only
problem is the lack of training in the sectors of production, distribution and
consumption.
In the production sector, there are
numerous problems in bread industry including the hardships of work, lack of
acquaintance of bakers with the right methods of making bread and the frequent
changes in the quality of flour.
Unfortunately, so far we had no
training program for the public regarding the right consumption of bread:
buying the right type of bread, cooling bread before packing it, keeping bread
in good packages and storing bread in homes.
According to health and nutrition
experts, most diseases which are resulted from the type of nutrition, can be
treated and prevented by using rich and wholesome materials. The expansion of
urbanism, the development of technology, the inclination of people toward using
prepared and half-baked foods and the different life-styles are among effective
factors on public nutrition and health.
It is certain that following the
hygienic and technical standards in producing bread, the most important food
stuff in our country, cannot be avoided. The non-observance of hygienic
standards and technical principles can threaten the social health and
environment. Trained and expert workers can prevent the threats and add to the
productivity of the work and protect public benefit. They can also play a
significant role in guaranteeing the quality of products.
Therefore, the production of healthy
bread is an ethical and a nutritional responsibility of the industry owners.
Training workers and making them acquainted with health and technical
principles are the main requirements of bread industry.
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