A Brief History of Bread....
as early as 35000 BC-
Ancient Hand Grinding
Ancient cultures all over the world used hand grinders like the mortar and pestle, saddlestone, and the quern to make enough flour for their own household.
3000 BC
Millstone Invented
Eventually larger stones were developed and powered by people and animals. This allowed for flour to be produced on a larger scale. Women were thrilled to be relieved of the time consuming task of milling grain by hand and willingly purchased the surplus.
1700s
Local American Mills
Communities sprouted up around mills because families would buy only as much flour as they could use in a short time to avoid spoilage caused by oxidation. Milling flour on a larger scale was developed. However, transporting flour beyond local communities before it turned rancid was a major challenge.
late 1800s
Steel Rolling Mill
The steel roller mill was invented, which appeared to be more economical and efficient, and quickly replaced local millers. Flour was able to be sufficiently sifted to remove the bran and germ (the most nutritious part of the wheat) and create a shelf stable white flour available to the masses. The nutritious byproduct was (and still is) sold to the animal feed industry. The flour also began to be treated with bleaching agents to get rid any pigmentation strengthen gluten structures more quickly to achieve a soft fluffy texture.
1941
"Enriched" flour
Because three diseases (beriberi, pellagra, anemia) suddenly plagued Americans at epidemic levels, research ensued and eventually linked the cause to the increased consumption of the white-nutrient deficient flour! In 1941, the government mandated millers add back 3 of the 30+ nutrients lost.
1990s
"Fortify" flour
In the 90s, it was decided that grains grown within the US must be fortified with folic acid (a synthetic form of Vitamin B9/folate) in an effort to decrease the number of women at risk for a folate deficiency(which can cause neural tube birth defects in children). The problem is that 40-60% of the population cannot metabolize this man made version of the vitamin, leaving them still nutrient deficient plus stuck with a foreign chemical (linked to many health issues, including ADHD) in their bodies.
2000s-
Health issues Increase Steadily
In the fast paced American lifestyle, not only does the amount of processed food consumed increase, but also the number of health issues plaguing the population has sky rocketed. Neurological disorders, bowel disturbances, constipation, skin issues, obesity, allergies, inflammation, diabetes, mental instability, etc. This is the trade off for a mass produced flour that has a longer shelf life.