“BARRACOUTA” LOAF

Taranaki Daily News, 24 July 1929, Page 14

“BARRACOUTA” LOAF

SHORT-WEIGHT EXPLAINED. SAME AMOUNT OF DOUGH. The fact that the two-pound loaf does not always weigh 320 z has been mentioned in Parliament with uncomplimentary comments in regard to the Department of Public Health. Chief among the offending loaves that do not scale by 2oz is the “barracouta.” This is a long, lean loaf, popular in families where there is a great demand for a “crusty bit.” And crust appears to be the whole point unless the complaining member is in possession of facts to prove that the solids content of his “barracouta” is less than that of the standard two-pound loaf. One housewife who certainly does not weigh the bread she buys, is convinced by the usual intuitive method .of her sex that only the old-fashioned “turnover” or Maori loaf is liable to give a thud when it goes on the scales. However, the official facts from the bakers’ point of view were given last week by Mr. J. Heaton Barker, secretary to the New Zealand Master Bakers’ and Pastrycooks’ Association. He said that for many years there had been considerable “pin pricking” about the bona tides of the “barracouta” loaf. WEIGHT LOST IN BAKING.

For this loaf the dough was “weighedin” as for a standard loaf, but it lost more weight in the baking. There was a bigger area of crust and greater evaporation of moisture. Bakers thus became liable for prosecution for selling underweight bread, although if the dough was conscientiously weighed the food value of the “barracouta” was precisely the same

The Department of Health, in order to protect itself, made provision that at any time where doubt existed a “barracoota” should be analysed to ascertain its solids content. The difference of two ounces through evaporation was practically uniform, and this allowance was a just one. That in regard to the “barracouta” and similar loaves, which had different names in different parts of the country, was the whole story. Mention had been made of a type of loaf weighing 11b Boz, Mr. Barker continued. The manufacture of this came about in a measure through the department insisting upon bread being wrapped. The bakers’ contention was that wrapping considerably increased costs, but exception was taken to an increase in price. SPECIAL LOAF EXPERIMENT. Certain Christchurch bakers then approached the department in regard to wrapping a special loaf. It was not made from the ordinary mixture, the dough containing extra ingredients which added to the cost and also increased the food value of the bread. The department insisted upon such bread being sold in loaves not exceeding 11b Boz to ensure that the jrublic would not be misled into believing that it was getting a standard 21b loaf. The protection of the public against exploitation was the reason of this loaf.

For a time considerable quantities of this, wrapped bread were sold, but ultimately the trade fell away because the public did not consider that it was value for the price paid. Mr. Barker added that lie doubted if the matter was now any concern of the Health Department, seeing that the Labour Department now administered the Weights and Measures Act.

From inquiry there appears to have been no official doubt as ’to the bona tides of the “barracouta.” At all. events no case is known where analysis has been.made to determine whether the “weighing in” has always been satisfactory. If interested housewives find that a loaf of this sort is more than two ounces below standard they will have reason for complaint.