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pre-sliced bread is a relatively recent development in baking technology. previous to that, it was always sold in a bakery in daily-made contiguous loaves with no wrapping, and was moderately perishable, usually being used with a day or two (which is why every bakery had a discounted “day-old” bread table.) therefore, pre-sliced bread would grow stale quickly. the hard crust provided a protective layer, and once the exposed dry slice left from the previous cut was removed, the interior was still soft.

what keeps bread soft is the moisture retained in the crumb (the light spongy part that’s not crust). the reason the crust develops is the surface of the dough gets exposed to hot dry air during baking which browns the outer layer and seals it, preventing all the moisture from escaping the dough. longer exposure to air will also eventually cause your bread to lose flavor and become stale.

people were used to cutting slices as they needed them and storing bread in a specially-made wooden or metal breadbox or pail with a lid to preserve it longer, but the first automatically sliced commercial loaves were produced on july 6, 1928, in chillicothe, missouri, using a machine invented by otto rohwedder, an iowa-born, missouri-based jeweler.[1] pre-sliced bread would indeed dry out, were it not for another 20th century technology: the plastic bag. bread could now be pre-sliced, and if the enclosing bag remains sealed as much as possible, the bread will remain soft and fresh for longer than if sitting unwrapped on a shelf or enclosed in a bread box that is not air-tight. sealed packaging meant bread could also be sold on store shelves and eliminate frequent trips to a bakery.

sealing bread in a plastic bag had another effect: the moisture in the loaf will re-distribute into the crust and soften it, which is sometimes more pleasing in a sandwich - especially for children whose teeth might not yet be strong enough to tear through a hard crust. a homemade loaf of bread can be sealed in a bag overnight and the crust will become soft like store-bought sandwich bread.

these were novel changes in how bread was produced and sold, which led to the coining of the phrase “the greatest thing since sliced bread.”

according to the u.s. department of agriculture, the label of "certified organic" comes with a set of highly regulated standards for environmental stewardship and resource conservation. some of these include maintenance and improvement of soil quality, prevention of ground and surface water contamination, greenhouse gas regulation, encouragement of biodiversity and conservation of water and energy (see references 1). organic practices integrate natural methods such as mulching, plant diversity, native and adapted plants, crop rotation and the introduction of beneficial insects to control pests without synthetic pesticides.

environmental implications of pesticides

synthetic pesticides ensure high crop yields. while effective in achieving this goal, pesticides contaminate soil, air, ground and surface water, as well as the plants and animals that come into contact with these contaminated sources. freshwater and marine organisms are particularly susceptible to pesticides through agricultural runoff. pesticides also reduce soil fertility (necessitating the use of synthetic fertilizers) and can travel far from the original source, contaminating water and air hundreds of miles from the location of application (see references 2).

health implications of organics

although a subject of particular debate, many recent findings show that organic food is healthier than conventionally grown food. according to the usda, an extensive european union-funded study found that organically grown foods contain more beneficial compounds, such as the vitamins and antioxidants needed to combat many diseases (see references 5). organic milk, meat and eggs are regulated to ensure they are free of hormones administered to conventional livestock and poultry.

health implications of pesticides

pesticides affect human health in three ways: through skin contact, inhalation and ingestion. acute and long-term exposure to pesticides can cause serious health problems for farmers who apply them. the majority of other people are affected by drinking contaminated water and eating contaminated marine life (see references 3). pesticides have been linked to neurological disorders, endocrine and reproductive disorders, immune system deficiencies and cancer. according to the world health organization, acute pesticide poisoning (app) is responsible for significant annual mortality, especially in developing nations (see references 4).

other important considerations

not every small farm or business owner can afford the costly certification process required to be considered "certified organic," even if the farm is not using chemicals. "transitional" farms include those that once used chemicals and are now transitioning to organic-only production. in addition, though organic farming methods offer obvious environmental benefit, an organic apple shipped from around the world creates a different set of environmental problems. locally grown food (particularly locally grown, organic food) is key in sustainable food production.