Learning to walk before I run

Suffolk_lass

This has just made me check out the instant yeast I use, which is in 7g sachets. I have just had a think about it. 94% yeast so the other ingredients comprise 6% of 7g so 0.42g - the labelling regs say that you must list ingredients in order of their quantities (biggest first). The label says: 

• Stabiliser (Calcium Sulphate),
• Emulsifier (Sorbitan Monostearate),
• Flour Treatment Agents (Ascorbic Acid, Alpha-Amylase),
• Salt, 
• Wheat Flour, 
• Fortified Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Iron, Thiamin, Nicotinic Acid, Calcium Carbonate), 
• Wheat Starch

I combine this with a sourdough starter, Italian flour, water, Essex Sea Salt and a tiny quantity of olive oil, sugar, sometimes unsalted butter and an egg.

It was the quantity of preservatives and "flour improvers" in bought bread that I wanted to avoid, as these are often confused with wheat intolerance, causing bloating and pain. I don't get any adverse reaction to the bread I bake, and friends who eat it like it, as do we. I shall have a longer think about whether I want to accept these going forward. I can't get to the market to talk to the baker there today, but I might next week. I am delivering lunch for 20 people today!

ladybird1106

Not thought to look at the ingredients of yeast packet, would explain a lot why I get an upset stomach after eating homemade gluten free pizza 🤦‍♀️. 

Love 🐞

the_end_of_the_rainbow

Baileys_Babe said:

When we had a breadmaker the time delay function was used frequently, it was lovely to come down to freshly cooked bread in the morning.

Now we use the stand mixer or OH does it by hand, not something I will do as I have problems with my joints.

Either way it is good to be able to choose what goes in our bread.

If using your bread maker overnight, please make sure you have working smoke alarms - unfortunately I speak from experience of a fire caused by one. We still use a bread maker as we love fresh bread, but only during the day.

Baileys_Babe

the_end_of_the_rainbow said:

Baileys_Babe said:

When we had a breadmaker the time delay function was used frequently, it was lovely to come down to freshly cooked bread in the morning.

Now we use the stand mixer or OH does it by hand, not something I will do as I have problems with my joints.

Either way it is good to be able to choose what goes in our bread.

If using your bread maker overnight, please make sure you have working smoke alarms - unfortunately I speak from experience of a fire caused by one. We still use a bread maker as we love fresh bread, but only during the day.

You make a good point, we have always had smoke alarms fitted which we check regularly, but others may not.

rtandon27

Many years ago, we also stopped eating store bought bread as it was making the OH ill every time he ate it.  We thought at the time that it was the iron fortification alone that was causing the issues.  When we exclusively ate homemade bread-maker bread we had to buy imported non-fortified flour or get it directly from the local mill before it was sent for fortification. 

We only discovered about additives in yeast when a local baker mentioned that most commercial instant yeast had additives to keep it shelf-stable.  We then switched to the (free) live stuff which they were more than happy to give away.  Of the top of my head, it was either 3 or 4 times the weight of the dry stuff - added to the wet ingredients instead of the dry.  Everything else we followed the bread maker recipes as written - a perfect loaf everytime.

badmemory

You know I am reading this & it just makes me wonder how many of us have issues with various forms of bought food.  I know my issues are getting worse with age, but is that because I am getting worse or the food is getting worse.  Chilled food is much worse than frozen & homemade bread is much less of a problem than bought & it certainly isn't the more expensive bought bread which is better.

edinburgher

@badmemory - I strongly suspect topics such as our gut biomes are the human equivalent of the deep ocean - largely misunderstood, no doubt vital.

greent

rtandon27 said:

Many years ago, we also stopped eating store bought bread as it was making the OH ill every time he ate it.  We thought at the time that it was the iron fortification alone that was causing the issues.  When we exclusively ate homemade bread-maker bread we had to buy imported non-fortified flour or get it directly from the local mill before it was sent for fortification. 

We only discovered about additives in yeast when a local baker mentioned that most commercial instant yeast had additives to keep it shelf-stable.  We then switched to the (free) live stuff which they were more than happy to give away.  Of the top of my head, it was either 3 or 4 times the weight of the dry stuff - added to the wet ingredients instead of the dry.  Everything else we followed the bread maker recipes as written - a perfect loaf everytime.

Fresh yeast value is 3x dry yeast 😊 - and so much nicer to work with (personal opinion, I realise! 😁)

Staffordia

badmemory said:

You know I am reading this & it just makes me wonder how many of us have issues with various forms of bought food.  I know my issues are getting worse with age, but is that because I am getting worse or the food is getting worse.  Chilled food is much worse than frozen & homemade bread is much less of a problem than bought & it certainly isn't the more expensive bought bread which is better.

Once you start looking at the ingredients list on any number of items in a supermarket you realise just how much of it is ultra processed.

I remember hearing that over 45% of food eaten in the UK is UPF, as opposed to just 14% in France. 

edinburgher

the_end_of_the_rainbow said:

Baileys_Babe said:

When we had a breadmaker the time delay function was used frequently, it was lovely to come down to freshly cooked bread in the morning.

Now we use the stand mixer or OH does it by hand, not something I will do as I have problems with my joints.

Either way it is good to be able to choose what goes in our bread.

If using your bread maker overnight, please make sure you have working smoke alarms - unfortunately I speak from experience of a fire caused by one. We still use a bread maker as we love fresh bread, but only during the day.

We have interlinked heat + smoke alarms up to Scottish Building Standards. Thanks for the concern and for sharing