Bread quality scrutinized

Trade inspectors questioned 50 percent of bread batches investigated. It seems that many loaves of bread controlled by the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) lacked weight information, product name or producer's information. A total of 2,800 batches of bread were checked, of which 55.6 percent showed improprieties. Grain type and content should be listed in the case of non-packaged loaves of bread. This is currently one of the main problems noted by the UOKiK. Producers should show what percentage of added ingredients are present if those are mentioned in the name of a bread loaf. Usage of food coloring in bread is prohibited, although it is legally used in sweet cakes and “toast” bread. Bread produced from frozen dough, as is the case in many supermarkets, should be appropriately labeled.