The baguette is the symbol of France. A classic of the country’s bakery, its flavor and particular shape make it recognized as one of the best breads in the world. However, the traditional recipe has been subject to permanent changes, according to a new established law that came into force yesterday.
The new baguette recipe has been designed to contain much less salt than it had until now. This change was approved by the French Ministry of Agriculture in conjunction with the Confédération Nationale de la Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Française, who agreed to follow the WHO guidelines on daily salt consumption, which should ideally not exceed 5 grams per day. This is why, from now on, the maximum salt content for all baguettes produced in France “must not exceed 1.4 grams per 100 grams of ‘common or traditional’ bread, and 1.3 grams for special breads.” “explains the French news portal Capital.
This is not the first time that the French baking guild has been forced to reduce the amount of salt they use in their recipes. According to the French Ministry of Agriculture, in 2022 the amount of salt in breads had already been limited to a maximum of 1.5 grams per 100 grams of product. These measures aim to reduce the average consumption of salt in the country, with the goal of reducing its amount in bread by up to 10% by 2026.
According to a statement issued by the Confédération Nationale de la Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Française, bread represents up to 20% of the daily diet of the French. These measures have been taken with the aim of contributing to an improvement in the general health of the population and preventing the development of cardiovascular diseases related to excessive salt consumption.
Although this modification to the traditional baguette recipe is made for public health reasons, several French bakers have expressed their discontent with the measure: “The bakers do not want to change the recipe,” said Dominique Anract, president of the Confédération Nationale de the Boulangerie-Pâtisserie Française, to the French outlet Actu. However, analyzes will be carried out on 339 types of bread throughout the country “to verify compliance with the new thresholds.”
