THE HISTORY
OF BAKING
BREAD AND PASTRY PRODUCTION
History of Baking
2 IN THE WORLD
➢ Baking is the process by which food is subjected to dry heat in an enclosed device
called oven.
➢ In the early days, baking was linked closely with the bread making.
➢ Baking Started when man discovered wild edible grains that grew in their hunting trails.
➢ Man later learned how to grind them between stones, thereby producing a powdery
grain called flour.
History of Baking
3 IN THE WORLD
➢ Flour when mixed with water yields dough. This mixture was spread on heated stones
to produce bread that was flat, heard on the outside but soft inside.
➢ This method of baking was introduced by the Swiss lake dwellers 8,000 years ago and
was practiced in Ancient civilization like Babylonia, Assyria, and Egypt.
History of Baking
4 IN THE WORLD
➢ The first improvement on this flat bread was a discovery in 3,000 B.C by a baker in
Royal Egyptian household and came up with raised loaf bread.
➢ Marked the beginning of leavened Bread.
➢ In 17th century, leavening process was scientifically studied through a microscope.
History of Baking
5 IN THE WORLD
➢ The yeast cells were identified to be responsible for the formation of air bubbles in the
dough causing it to rise.
➢ Heat during baking causes the rising action in the dough.
History of Baking
6 IN THE WORLD
➢ Open earthen jars replaced the flat stones.
➢ Later replaced by a beehive oven made of adobe or bricks used by the Greeks in 600
B.C.
➢ The Romans came up with sophisticated and bigger oven made of thicker adobe and
bricks.
History of Baking
7 IN THE WORLD
➢ Open earthen jars replaced the flat stones.
➢ Later replaced by a beehive oven made of adobe or bricks used by the Greeks in 600
B.C.
➢ The Romans came up with sophisticated and bigger oven made of thicker adobe and
bricks.
History of Baking
8 IN THE WORLD
➢ The milling process, started with the used of hollowed-out stones where grains were
pounded with a round stone.
➢ Later, the Egyptians shaped this stones into a bigger mortar-and-pestle-like structure.
History of Baking
9 IN THE WORLD
➢ The Greeks in 600 B.C invented the hourglass, a device composed of a bin or hopper
where grains was poured and two stones moved against each other and ground the
grain into powder. Animals and man proved the power to move it.
➢ The Romans in 100 B.C also used the hourglass but instead of animals and men, they
utilized wind and water to move it.
History of Baking
10 IN THE WORLD
➢ Baking became a major part of the household activities to supply bread.
➢ Between 300 and 200 B.C., it turned into a trade when free men in Greece began
establishing public bakeries.
➢ Baking industry was later absorbed by the Romans after conquering Greece.
➢ White flour used then was almost similar to our flour today.
➢ Baking became a forgotten occupation with the invasion of the Huns in Northern
Europe which marked the onset of the Dark Ages; later crusader was able to drive the
Moslems back to Asia, and commerce began to flourish.
History of Baking
11 IN THE WORLD
➢ Baking industry was brought to America with the Jamestown colonists.
➢ Commercial bakers were already in operation as early as the 1600s.
➢ Towards the 19th century, facilities and baked products saw improvements and bigger
and more efficient ovens were built.
➢ Products like breads, cakes, pies, biscuit, cookies, and crackers became commercially
available
➢ The import and export of wheat encourage the growth of the industry.
History of Baking
12 IN THE PHILIPPINES
➢ Wheat was cultivated in the Philippines particularly in the provinces of Batangas, Laguna,
Cavite, and Cagayan as early as the 17th century for the purpose of making Eucharistic
wafers during the Spanish era.
➢ With coming of the Americans, the importation of wheat flour in the United States
began.
➢ When flour mills were established in the late 50’s, importations shifted from flour to
wheat grains.
History of Baking
13 IN THE PHILIPPINES
➢ Baking as a trade in the Philippines began to flourish in the 1960’s.
➢ The U.S wheat Associates established its office here in 1962 mainly to disseminate
information on baking and to help Filipinos develop their skills in the trade.
➢ Flour mills:
General Milling Corporation Republic Flour Mills
Liberty Flour Mills Universal Robina Corporation
Philippine Flour Mills Wellington Flour Mills
Pillsbury Mindanao Flour Mill Corporation
History of Baking
14 IN THE PHILIPPINES
➢ Baking as a trade in the Philippines began to flourish in the 1960’s.
➢ The U.S wheat Associates established its office here in 1962 mainly to disseminate information on baking and
to help Filipinos develop their skills in the trade.
➢ Flour mills:
General Milling Corporation Republic Flour Mills
Liberty Flour Mills Universal Robina Corporation
Philippine Flour Mills Wellington Flour Mills
Pillsbury Mindanao Flour Mill Corporation
➢ Supply the demand for flour all over the country as bread continues to be a major food on the Filipino’s table.
