The importance of bread is the most important staple food

Every year on October 16, the international “Day of Bread” has been celebrated for around 30 years – at the same time as World Food Day. This day aims to remember the importance of bread as the most important staple food for millions of people worldwide and at the same time to promote appreciation for the bakery trade and for bread as food.

What exactly is bread?

The traditional bread consists of grain (flour), water, salt, and sourdough as a leavening agent. A general distinction is made between leavened bread, to which yeast or sourdough is added for a fluffy texture, and unleavened bread, such as flatbread. Furthermore, in the Austrian food book, one finds the distinction between rye, wheat, and mixed bread as well as other types of bread.

“Other types of bread” include bread in which other raw materials are used (e.g. graham bread, whey bread, linseed bread, sprouts bread, stonemason bread, potato bread, wholemeal bread, or Kletzenbrot) or where special production methods are used (e.g. pumpernickel or Crispbread). Bread with suitable recipes for special dietary needs also falls into this group (e.g. gluten-free bread).

The proportion of gluten (glutinous protein) in the grain is essential for the ability of the bread to be baked. Gluten-free grains (such as buckwheat, corn, millet, amaranth, and quinoa), which are used as a substitute for bread in people with celiac disease, lack this property. Therefore, gluten-free bread usually consists of its own flour mixture and special recipe.

Classification of bread

Bread is also classified according to the types of grain used, such as rye, wheat, spelled, Kamut, emmer, einkorn, or according to the degree of grinding (the distinction between wholemeal flour and “white” flour). In German-speaking countries, the terms “white bread”, “gray bread” and “black bread” are often used, with “black bread” often being mistakenly equated with whole grain bread.

According to the legal definition, wholemeal bread must consist of at least 90% wholemeal rye and/or wheat products (wholemeal meal or finely ground wholemeal flour) and the added amount of acid must consist of at least two-thirds sourdough. Multigrain bread that uses at least three different grains is not necessarily whole grain bread.

By the way, baking bread yourself is not as difficult as you might think at first. We’ll tell you valuable tips and tricks and delicious bread recipes. You can also find numerous instruction videos for homemade bread here! It’s best to take the international “Day of Bread” as an occasion and try it out!