Food preservatives

[HemiEd]

This has been bugging me for a while but I wanted to wait until the offseason to bring it up. I want to learn about what is going on from the brain trust here.


If you dial back a few years, we used to have "day old bread" stores because bread did not keep very well. Fresh bread being available was the norm and expected.

Now that Walmart is dominating the grocery industry, they have a big logistics issue. To my knowledge, there is no bakery in our immediate area, so Walmart it is.

However, I am extremely concerned about what they are having added to the bread products to extend the life of the product.

Last fall, I put two partial loaves of bread, and some hot dog buns that I use for my minnow trap in our boat locker.

Forgot about them until we had a nice day this week. When I opened the locker, the "Natures Own, whole wheat" had done as expected and was a green mess.

However, the "Natures Own, whole grain" was still looking good and fresh, no mold after 4 months. The cheap Walmart hot dog buns were the same way, looked as fresh as when purchased.

WTF?


What say you?

[chinaski]

Better living through chemistry...

It's a big country, that's why a lot of foods are chocked full of preservatives to get them from one side of the country to the other. Take Europe for example, the distances are shorter and there are enough regional variations/tastes in food and drink that becomes less of a factor. Pasteurized cheese for example...it's less common across the pond.

As far as bread, you have to consider bleached/enriched flour along with the preservatives when thinking about spoilage. When flour is enriched, they are basically removing nutrients which not only makes it less healthy, it probably contributes to a longer shelf life as some of those organic materials are lost.

Storage/Temperature also plays a factor as well.

[threebag]

We use a bread machine quite often. When they closed down hostess something happened to the bread around here. Never seemed fresh again.

[htismaqe]

Don't eat bread. Eat more protein and vegetables. Problem solved.

[RunKC]

My dad has an Oster Breadmaking machine that he uses to make his own bread. Usually takes 3 hours to bake, but yeah it makes store bought bread taste like manufactured garbage.

He’s started making loaf’s of bread that have cinnamon, raisin and honey in it. It’s incredible .

[threebag]

Originally Posted by RunKC

My dad has an Oster Breadmaking machine that he uses to make his own bread. Usually takes 3 hours to bake, but yeah it makes store bought bread taste like manufactured garbage.

He’s started making loaf’s of bread that have cinnamon, raisin and honey in it. It’s incredible .

Makes incredible French Toast

[Fish]

Quite a few factors in play. Much of it environmental. Suffice to say you're not in any danger. Preservatives aren't necessarily bad for you just because they're preservatives. Not as nutritional for sure. But for stuff like bread it's not a big deal, there's little to no danger in normal consumption.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Fish

Quite a few factors in play. Much of it environmental. Suffice to say you're not in any danger. Preservatives aren't necessarily bad for you just because they're preservatives. Not as nutritional for sure. But for stuff like bread it's not a big deal.

The actual bread is worse for you.

[Beef Supreme]

Preservatives will keep you looking young!

[T-post Tom]

For about $6, you can buy this at WalMart:

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Don't eat bread. Eat more protein and vegetables. Problem solved.

yip

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by RunKC

My dad has an Oster Breadmaking machine that he uses to make his own bread. Usually takes 3 hours to bake, but yeah it makes store bought bread taste like manufactured garbage.

He’s started making loaf’s of bread that have cinnamon, raisin and honey in it. It’s incredible .

I have found that to be true with the veggies as well. I grew some cabbage and carrots last year that made me realize the store bought crap is pretty much tasteless.

Originally Posted by T-post Tom

For about $6, you can buy this at WalMart:

Yeah, I have bought that before, but it is way too many calories. I eat a turkey sandwich every day for lunch and the Natures own whole wheat is pretty low.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by Fish

Quite a few factors in play. Much of it environmental. Suffice to say you're not in any danger. Preservatives aren't necessarily bad for you just because they're preservatives. Not as nutritional for sure. But for stuff like bread it's not a big deal, there's little to no danger in normal consumption.

That makes me feel better. Some of those 26 ingredients have some pretty long names. Thanks

[Hammock Parties]

preservatives are delicious

just think, if they are preserving food that long, they are going to keep your body preserved even longer

we are all going to live to be 150

unless you are vegan

then you will die skinny at 70

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by RunKC

My dad has an Oster Breadmaking machine that he uses to make his own bread. Usually takes 3 hours to bake, but yeah it makes store bought bread taste like manufactured garbage.

He’s started making loaf’s of bread that have cinnamon, raisin and honey in it. It’s incredible .

I've got an Ultimate Breadman machine, and I love it. I usually just make white or wheat, but I'll occasionally make something like cinnamon raisin, and it's awesome.

But I don't put preservatives in it, so it doesn't stay fresh for very long. It's a tradeoff given that it takes more effort to make it than to just buy bread at the store.