Episode 2: Bread, the 14,000 year old bite!

Every time you bite into bread, you’re taking part in something ANCIENT.In this episode, we go deep on bread as the ultimate “never just food” food. We’re talking what early bread looked like, how bread evolved through civilizations, and the science behind why yeast bread and sourdough taste and behave differently. Then we zoom out to the cultural side of bread, including why it shows up everywhere, and how it’s often tied to hospitality.In this episode:The oldest evidence of bread making (before agriculture was even a thing)What early bread likely looked likeBread in Ancient Egypt and what we’ve learned from scientific analysis of preserved loavesPompeii’s carbonized loavesFermentation 101Yeast vs sourdough, and why sourdough can taste so differentBread as culture and hospitalityConnect with Noha:If you have a topic you want covered next, send an email to [email protected] the It's Never Just Food Podcast on InstagramFollow Noha on Instagram and TikTokLearn more about working with Noha hereReferences mentioned in the episode:Arranz-Otaegui, A. et al. (2018). Archaeobotanical evidence reveals the origins of bread 14,400 years ago in northeastern Jordan. PNAS.Samuel, D. (1996). Investigation of Ancient Egyptian baking and brewing methods by correlative microscopy.Science.Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Cereals and other starch-based staples: are consumption patterns changing? FAO.Engström, N. et al. (2015). Sourdough fermentation of wheat flour does not prevent the interaction of transglutaminase 2 with α2-gliadin or gluten.Mesta-Corral, M. et al. (2024). Technological and nutritional aspects of bread production. Nutrients.It’s Never Just Food is hosted by Noha Gerges and is operated by 17928238 Canada Inc. This podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical, nutritional or professional advice.