Sawdust In The Bread & 11 Other Poisons
From Sawdust to Synthetic Additives: The Long History of Food Tampering
We like to think that modern food controversies, additives, artificial ingredients, and questionable labeling, are unique to our era. But the truth is, food tampering has been around for centuries. In the past, bakers were known to stretch their ingredients with everything from chalk to sawdust to save money or increase profits.
While today’s additives are tested and regulated, the spirit of cutting corners at the expense of quality remains eerily familiar. Let’s take a look at the dark history of adulterated bread and explore how it parallels some of the questionable practices in today’s bread industry.
Sawdust and Alum: When Bread Was Literally Cutting Edge
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the Industrial Revolution transformed food production, and not always for the better. Bread, a vital part of the working-class diet, became a target for unscrupulous bakers and millers looking to boost their bottom line. To make their flour go further, they added substances like:
Sawdust: Cheap and plentiful, wood shavings were mixed into bread to bulk up the dough. While it provided zero nutrition, it did add fiber, albeit the kind that could wear down your teeth over time.
Chalk or Plaster of Paris: These whiteners were used to mimic the appearance of high-quality flour. The result? Bread that looked refined but offered little nourishment and could irritate the digestive tract.
Alum: A chemical that made bread appear whiter and firmer. Alum consumption, however, could cause digestive issues and long-term health problems.
These ingredients weren’t just deceptive; they were harmful. Workers who relied on bread for sustenance were unknowingly consuming substances that could weaken their health over time.
A Flour War: The Push for Purity
By the late 19th century, public outrage over food adulteration began to grow. Scientific advancements allowed for the testing of food, exposing dangerous practices. Laws like the Adulteration of Food Act (1860) in the UK and the Pure Food and Drug Act (1906) in the US sought to protect consumers. The bread scandals of the past became cautionary tales, paving the way for modern food regulations.
Modern Parallels: New Ingredients, Same Old Story
Fast-forward to today, and while you’re not likely to find sawdust in your baguette, food tampering hasn’t disappeared, it’s just evolved. Modern additives and practices may come with cleaner marketing, but they’re often born of the same profit-driven mindset.
Bread used to be simple, just flour, water, yeast, and salt. But pick up a loaf at the grocery store today, and you’ll likely find a list of ingredients that reads more like a chemistry experiment. Seventeen (or more!) ingredients for bread? It’s enough to make you wonder: why is bread so complicated now, and what are all these extras doing in there?
The Core Four (Still There, Sort Of)
At its heart, bread still relies on the same foundational ingredients:
Flour: The backbone of bread, but often refined to remove the bran and germ for longer shelf life, sacrificing nutrients in the process.
Water: A simple binder.
Yeast: Helps the dough rise.
Salt: Adds flavor and helps control fermentation.
But that’s where simplicity ends in most store-bought bread.
The Other 13 Ingredients: What Are They?
1. Preservatives
Modern bread needs to sit on shelves for weeks without going moldy, so preservatives like calcium propionate or sodium benzoate are added. While effective, they’re controversial for potential links to allergies, migraines, or gut irritation in sensitive individuals.
2. Dough Conditioners
Ingredients like azodicarbonamide (ADA) (yes, the infamous yoga mat chemical) and l-cysteine (sometimes derived from human hair or poultry feathers) are used to improve dough elasticity and make the bread fluffier. They make large-scale production faster and more consistent.
3. Emulsifiers
Common ones like mono- and diglycerides or soy lecithin are added to stabilize the dough and keep the bread from crumbling. They also extend shelf life, so sandwich bread stays soft for weeks.
4. Sugar or High-Fructose Corn Syrup
Many commercial breads contain sugar or high-fructose corn syrup to enhance flavor, aid browning, and feed the yeast. Unfortunately, this can turn an otherwise healthy loaf into a hidden source of added sugar.
5. Enriched Flours
Flour is often stripped of its nutrients during processing and then “enriched” with synthetic vitamins like niacin, iron, or folic acid to meet nutritional standards. It sounds good in theory but doesn’t replace the original, whole-grain nutrition.
6. Fats and Oils
Oils like canola, palm, or soybean oil are added for softness and flavor. Palm oil, in particular, raises environmental concerns due to deforestation.
7. Maltodextrin or Dextrose
These processed carbohydrates act as sweeteners and stabilizers, but they can spike blood sugar levels and lack nutritional value.
8. Gluten
Sometimes extra gluten is added to give bread its chewy texture, especially in white bread or products claiming to be “high-protein.”
9. Artificial Flavoring
Even bread gets a flavor boost sometimes, with artificial vanillin or other additives to mimic a richer taste.
10. Coloring Agents
To make bread look more appealing, ingredients like caramel coloring or annatto are added. These can give whole-grain breads a deeper color, even when they contain minimal whole grains.
11. Enzymes
Enzymes like amylase or xylanase are added to help break down starches and improve bread texture.
12. Soy or Whey Protein
Protein isolates are used in some breads to appeal to health-conscious consumers looking for “high-protein” options.
13. Acids
Acids like acetic acid or citric acid adjust pH levels, acting as preservatives or flavor enhancers.
Cutting corners in Modern Times
Even beyond bread, cutting corners is still rampant:
Olive oil diluted with cheaper vegetable oils.
Honey cut with sugar syrup.
Parmesan cheese that, ironically enough, sometimes contains wood pulp (a modern twist on the sawdust problem).
These practices echo the same fundamental issue: prioritizing profit over transparency and consumer health.
What Can We Do?
History shows us that food tampering isn’t new, it’s a recurring pattern that thrives in periods of rapid industrialization or economic pressure. However, the key difference today is that we have more tools at our disposal:
Scientific Testing: Food safety standards and technologies can detect even trace amounts of contaminants or adulterants. More importantly, we have access to testing our hormones, blood, macro and micro nutrients. We can pinpoint the issue and take action to correct it.
Consumer Awareness: Thanks to the internet, consumers have greater access to information about what’s in their food and how it’s made.
Regulation (and Loopholes): While regulations have improved, many loopholes remain. For instance, labels like "natural flavors" or "added vitamins" can obscure the truth about a product’s ingredients.
A Call to Action: Back to Basics
The best way to combat food tampering, whether historical or modern, is by returning to basics:
Support Local Bakers: Look for bread made with simple ingredients you can pronounce: flour, water, yeast, salt.
Cook at Home: Homemade bread may take time, but it allows you to control every ingredient.
Let’s sum it up.
There are a few main reasons bread has ballooned from 4 ingredients to 17:
Shelf Life: Bread is mass-produced and needs to last weeks on store shelves, hence preservatives and stabilizers.
Mass Production Consistency: Dough conditioners, emulsifiers, and enzymes make bread easy to produce in bulk with consistent results.
Softness and Flavor: Additives like sugar, oils, and emulsifiers ensure bread stays soft and tastes good, even if it’s been sitting around for a while.
Marketing and Health Trends: Adding synthetic nutrients, protein, or even artificial coloring helps bread appeal to health-conscious or trendy consumers.
Cost Efficiency: Many of these additives are cheap and allow manufacturers to use lower-quality flour while maintaining an appealing product.
Is All of This Necessary?
The short answer? No. These extras are mainly about convenience for manufacturers and longer shelf life, not better nutrition or flavor.
While bread is no longer full of sawdust, modern practices in food manufacturing mean that it is often packed with unnecessary additives. It’s not about fear-mongering but about awareness. Knowing what’s in the bread, and why, helps us make choices that align with our health and values. After all, bread should be simple, nourishing, and delicious, just like it was meant to.
Dosage And Safety Considerations
The information provided in this book is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Herbal practices and uses discussed are not a substitute for professional healthcare.
While herbs are natural, they are also bioactive substances, and proper dosage, preparation, and use are important. Always follow reputable dosing guidelines for each herb and consult with a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbs, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medications, have known allergies, or have existing medical conditions.
Anyone experiencing severe symptoms or managing chronic health issues should seek professional guidance before using herbs.
Individual responses to herbs may vary, and no outcomes are guaranteed. The author makes no claims regarding the effectiveness, safety, or suitability of any herb for any particular person.
Readers assume all responsibility for their personal health decisions based on the information presented. The author disclaims all liability for any loss, injury, or damage allegedly arising from the use or application of the information in this newsletter.
Camille Charles is the voice behind The Minimalist Herbalist. She is an Herbal Researcher, Best-Selling Author and Consumer Advocate. You can find her distilling rose water in her instant pot, repurposing olive jars to store her cacao butter and overnight nettle infusions. She talks way too much about tinctures for womb health. When not writing or checking on her brews, she designs graphics.