Safely Baking Your Own Bread

Let’s look at another hot topic today– baking bread at home. Today, we will look at safely baking your own bread at home and what to know before you even begin with the first loaf.

I was so fortunate that this past holiday season I was gifted with many kitchen items including so many things to make our own weekly bread. It has become almost therapeutic for me to make our bread and know exactly what is included in the ingredients. It does take a great amount of time and I find that on the weekends I can get this accomplished in a few hours. I did have to refresh myself on the safety tips of making bread since it had been awhile for me.

Handling Raw Flour

Flour is a raw food. It may not look like a raw food, but it usually is, just like fresh tomatoes or carrots. The grains from which flour is ground are grown in fields and, like all foods grown outdoors, they may be exposed to a variety of harmful bacteria like Salmonella and pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli).

1. Flours most commonly used in home baking and cooking are made directly from raw grains.
2. Processing raw grains into flour does not kill harmful bacteria.
3. Many foods made with flour also contain raw eggs, which may contain harmful bacteria.
4. Cooking is the only way to be sure that foods made with flour and raw eggs are safe.
5. Never eat or taste raw flour, dough, or batter.

A few more tips:

• DO follow package directions on baking mixes and other flour containing products for correct cooking temperatures and specified times.
• DO keep all raw foods, like flour and eggs, separate from ready-to eat foods. Remember, flour is a powder and spreads easily.
• DO refrigerate cookie and pastry dough according to package directions. Use a refrigerator thermometer to be sure your refrigerator is at a safe 40°F.
• DO clean up carefully after working with flour or raw dough and eggs:
  • Wash hands thoroughly with soap and running water, and,
  • Wash utensils, bowls, baking pans and cutting boards, and countertops with warm, soapy water.
• DO NOT eat, taste, or allow children to eat or play with raw dough products or baking mix before cooking.
• DO NOT keep recalled flour. Throw it away.
• DO NOT let children use raw dough for crafts or play clay.
• DO NOT use products that contain raw flour, like cake mix, to make ready-to-eat products like milkshakes.
• DO NOT try to heat treat flour in your own home. Home treatments of flour may not effectively kill all bacteria and do not make it safe to eat raw.

I have found that the dishes needed to make our own bread are incredibly messy. It is hard on the kitchen pipes and I find myself using a lot soapier water and rags to make sure that everything is going into the dishwasher not packed with excess dough.

Safely using dish rags:

• Rinse dish cloths with hot water after each use.
• Hang them over the oven door handle to dry.
• Change dish cloths when used to wipe counters with raw meat.
• Use disposable cloths to prevent cross-contamination.

Some extra tips:

1. Wash Hands Thoroughly: Wash your hands with soap and water before and after handling food.
2. Clean Work Surfaces: Keep work surfaces, utensils, and equipment clean and sanitized.
3. Handle Eggs Safely: Be aware of the risk of salmonella and avoid consuming raw batter with eggs.
4. Cook to Proper Temperature: Ensure all baked goods are cooked to the appropriate internal temperature.
5. Store Perishables Properly: Keep perishable ingredients, such as dairy products and eggs, refrigerated until use.

How Long to Keep Homemade Bread?

Since homemade bread doesn’t keep as long as store-bought bread, which generally contains preservatives, you’ll need to do things differently to keep it at its best. And the key to keeping that loaf as fresh as possible is proper storage. Ahead, find out how to store homemade bread for a couple of days or longer. “Enriched breads like brioche, challah, and some sandwich loaves are higher in fat and sugar and will keep longer due to their ability to maintain higher moisture levels,” says Schreiber. “Sourdough breads, which are more complex than standard yeast breads, can also maintain freshness longer due to the effects of the bacteria in the culture on the dough.”

Johanna Hartzheim, co-founder and head of product at Wildgrain, a bread and pasta delivery service, recommends eating homemade bread within three days but says it will last up to a week. “The bread will start to dry up and become a bit harder over time, but it takes much longer until it becomes moldy,” she says.

For more fun baking safety tips please keep an eye on Make Food Safe as we want to ensure that not only your bread is delicious but that you are safe while making and consuming it.