§ Mr. Martinasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Food what are the ingredients at present of the national loaf; and in what proportions they are inserted?
§ Mr. MabaneApart from yeast, salt and the various improvers which are the recognised adjuncts of bread baking, the permitted ingredients of national flour for making the present national loaf are wheat flour of 85 per cent. extraction, imported white flour, oats products, barley, rye, milk powder, and calcium, in the238W proportions authorised. In addition the baker may use a proportion of white flour as permitted in Article 20 of the Flour Order, 1943, and potatoes and potato flour as permitted in the Bread (Control and Maximum Prices) Order, 1943. The composition of national flour and consequently of national bread is not, and will not, be standardised over the whole country, but the best possible use is being and will continue to be made of home-grown cereals having regard to the point of supply and the need for the maximum economy of transport. The proportion of dilutants, although it may vary slightly in different areas, does not, at present, in general exceed 5 per cent.