Sir, – In an interview, HSE director Tony O'Brien commented that "modern bread is rubbish. It's full of things like preservatives that bread didn't use to have" (Tony O'Brien's weight loss: 'I haven't eaten bread since 2012'", May 27th).
The sliced pan has been around for about 60 years, is not rubbish, and the process of making sliced pan in modern bakeries has not changed in decades. Bread is low in calories, at around 85 calories per slice, the same as a large apple. It also provides protein, folic acid and many nutrients, such as dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals in our diet, is low in fat, contributing less than 1 per cent of our total fat intake. The use of preservatives is regulated and controlled by the EU and is a necessary way of ensuring safe consumption of food.
It’s time we had an open discussion around the myths that are associated with bread. Bread is readily available, fresh every day. It’s an affordable, nutritious food, that has been around for 30,000 years. It is low in fat, low in sugar and contributes carbohydrate, calcium, iron, protein, and fibre to the Irish diet. – Yours, etc,
DERMOT DOHERTY,
Irish Bread Bakers Association,
Lower Baggot Street,
Dublin 2.