Bread | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Bread is a staple baked food made primarily from flour (typically wheat), water, salt, and a leavening agent such as yeast; it is used as a dietary staple, a sandwich base, a recipe ingredient, and a food vehicle for enrichment nutrients. As an ingredient, it appears in stuffings, breadcrumbs, bread pudding, croutons, and processed meat binders.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Conventional wheat bread is safe for the general adult population and has been a dietary staple for thousands of years with no regulatory safety concerns at typical intake levels. However, bread made from wheat, rye, or barley contains gluten, which is harmful to individuals with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Standard bread also contains sodium (salt) and may contain added sugars, preservatives, and allergens such as eggs, milk, and soy that are relevant to sensitive subpopulations.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Bread is an approved and widely consumed staple food across EU member states. Individual bread additives (e.g., preservatives, emulsifiers) are regulated under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 on food additives. No specific ADI or restriction applies to bread as a whole food.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	FDA issued a final rule on August 5, 2013 defining 'gluten-free' for food labeling (21 CFR 101.91). Bread labeled 'gluten-free' must contain less than 20 ppm gluten. Bread containing wheat, rye, or barley cannot be labeled gluten-free unless specially processed.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Gluten Intolerance — In people with celiac disease, gluten in conventional wheat, rye, or barley bread triggers an immune response that damages the small intestine lining, causing nutrient malabsorption and increased risk of intestinal cancers and autoimmune diseases, per FDA/CFSAN Health Hazard Assessment (2011) and FDA gluten-free labeling rule (2013).

Other — Individuals with a wheat allergy (IgE-mediated) must avoid conventional wheat bread, as wheat is a major food allergen under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA); reactions can be serious or life-threatening per FDA food allergen guidance.

Ibd — Individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may experience symptom exacerbation from gluten-containing bread depending on disease state and individual tolerance; a gastroenterologist or registered dietitian should advise on appropriate bread choices.

Ibs — Standard wheat bread contains FODMAPs (fructans) that may trigger IBS symptoms such as bloating and abdominal pain in susceptible individuals; low-FODMAP or sourdough bread options may be better tolerated.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1other. Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Celiac Disease — NIDDK. niddk.nih.gov
2FDA. Food Additive Status List — 21 CFR Part 136, Bakery Products, 2026. fda.gov
3FDA. Questions and Answers on the Gluten-Free Food Labeling Final Rule, 2020. fda.gov
4FDA. Gluten-Free Labeling of Foods, 2013. fda.gov
5FDA. Health Hazard Assessment for Gluten Exposure in Individuals with Celiac Disease, 2011. fda.gov

Independently researched5 citations