Food Industry
NEW TYPES OF BREAD AND ANCIENT WHEAT – CURRENT TRENDS ON THE BREAD MARKET Are we eating more or less bread than before? And what types of bread? Is it fresh or from frozen portions of dough “parbaked” (a term used in baking lingo) in supermarket-chain ovens? Does the alarming news about the condition of the industry also affect small bakeries and the availability of a regular wholewheat loaf?
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ccording to a survey conducted by Kantar Millward Brown, 98% of Poles eat bread, 80% prefer traditionally made bread, and 65% – bread from local bakeries. It is hard to prepare accurate statistics which would show all the aspects of this highly fragmented market. In addition, the market picture is blurred by the growing fashion for novelties, with such additions as plums, tomatoes, cheese, and rosemary; or the rediscovered ancient types of wheat: emmer wheat (older than spelt), einkorn wheat, and kamut. Nobody knows more about discovering ancient grains than one unique team: a farmer, a processor, or even an anthropologist restoring old wheat species, working together with secondary discoverers - master bakers, consultants, and innovators – in the selection of recipes suitable for ordinary bakeries. According to Czesław Meus, in order to advise and implement a new assortment of bakery products, one needs to know the expectations and taste habits of consumers. The aforementioned duo is Mieczysław Babalski and Czesław Meus, the pillars of the Polska Ekologia (Polish Ecology) Association. Mr Mieczysław Babalski describes the advantages of organic emmer wheat, and even its health-promoting properties, in the following words: “As evidenced by research conducted by Ewa Dąbkowska from the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, flour made from organic emmer wheat is even better in terms of quality than organic spelt flour. It is perfect for baking bread. I think that emmer might become even more popular than spelt in the future. This can be seen in German agriculture, in which emmer, just as spelt, is unfortunately cultivated using conventional farming techniques. Why unfortunately? Well, conventional farming does not observe the rule of not subjecting grains to genetic manipulations. Nowadays, conventional spelt and emmer have nothing in common – aside from their names – with the ancient grain species, which can retain their original properties only with organic farming. Rather than on increased yield, ecologists focus on the healthpromoting properties of these cereals".
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Nowadays, many green farmers cultivate emmer in Poland. The grain is difficult to process, but its flour has plenty of protein, calcium, phosphorus, Vitamins B1, PP and E, pantothenic acid, and beta-glucans, which reduce cholesterol and prevent diabetes. “You can make bread, pasta, cakes and pancakes from emmer,” says Czesław Meus. “When kneaded, the dough is delicate, sweetish, with a nutty aftertaste and a honey-like aroma. By eating products made from emmer, you reduce the risk of alimentary-tract cancer. Before I took an interest in emmer, my activities revolved around traditionally cultivated species of wheat, and then around spelt. My role is to devise the best baking technologies. However, it is the already-mentioned farmer, and illustrious eco leader from Pokrzydowo, Mieczysław Babalski, who has pioneered the cultivation of ancient wheats and their processing into flour, flakes, pasta and groats. He finds forgotten cereal varieties and introduces them onto the market, and also encourages farmers with eco farms to cultivate the oldest species of wheat: einkorn, emmer and spelt. This allows us to be successful together.” The application of ancient wheats is increasing, and it was Czesław Meus, after an enthusiastic reception for his eco bread at the BioFach fair in Nuremberg, who first implemented the production process for organic spelt loaves with emmer in the traditional Kraków-based Buczek bakery and confectionery chain, which has operated on the Kraków market for more than 70 years. What is more, the Buczek bakery also makes wheat-and-rye bread based on organic sourdough and 100% rye bread based on organic sourdough with honey and sunflower seeds. New retro-novelties are also being prepared. “I can use my experience gained during the implementation of the organic-bread baking process in a conventional bakery in subsequent implementations in facilities which strive to bake good, tasty, healthy and organic bread. I must note here that before that I helped the Buczek bakery obtain the BIO certificate.
Polish bread is heading the way of substitutes. This is usually industrially produced bread with the addition of artificial enzymes and other preserving additives. Another alarming development is the introduction of spelt bread, or bread made from other ancient wheats, but from grains obtained by means of conventional farming – the flour does not have the benefits provided by organic farming (e.g. a low gluten content). Yet, organic bread making was inspired by Prof. Julian Aleksandrowicz. I remember when the Professor passed on his ideas to me. This has led me up the road of true bread making. I want to make this bread real and genuine sustenance. I wish us daily, real, bread,” said Czesław Meus. But which one is real? Is the frozen and parbaked variety, also real? Hanna Stolińska-Fiedorowicz, a clinical dietician from the National Food and Nutrition Institute, reminds us that “while freezing is the best food-storage method, it is worth remembering that bread is frozen using liquid nitrogen, and then stored for up to half a year. Such bread contains many improvers, including stabilisers, colours, preservatives, calcium propionate (E-282) to prevent mould growth, and potassium sorbate (E-202), which can cause skin problems and asthma.” Our escape from pseudo bakery products is also manifested in “home services”, such as those provided by Monika Walecka, with her motto of “I can bake whatever you wish”. Abroad, she has rubbed shoulders with worldfamous bakers. In Poland, she is giving organic einkorn a go. Czesław Meus has, therefore, gained a new ally, who acts in a similar fashion, but on a smaller scale. Bravo! Home bread baking has become really popular, with the Internet swarming with recipes prepared by amateur bakers. This entirely private sector is making its first steps in selecting the best ingredients. Using guidelines offered by the masters, it will experience not only the good taste but also the health-promoting properties of good bread. •