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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

WTF … Human hair in bread!

72 replies

TheRealHousewife · 18/01/2023 20:49

I’m spitting feathers here … recently I've read several articles like This one that details (amongst other vomit inducing stuff) how human hair is processed and added to mass factory produced bread 🤢 🤮🤢🤮🤢🤮🤢🤮🤢 This ‘amino acid’ is to extend shelf life!

AIBU to never buy or feed mass produced bread to my nearest and dearest?

WTF … Human hair in bread!
OP posts:
Original poster
TheRealHousewife · 18/01/2023 20:59

The ingredient in question is listed as L-Cysteine. Mainly sourced from China, who in turn source it from their local barbers and hairdressers.

OP posts:
yousmellnice · 18/01/2023 21:01

EWWWW

Lockheart · 18/01/2023 21:03

You do realise it's not literal hair in your bread, right?

roses2 · 18/01/2023 21:03

Oh my!! 😵 at the rodent hair one!

stbrandonsboat · 18/01/2023 21:03

I suppose it might have head lice in as well then, seeing as they live on hair.

Andrelaxzzz · 18/01/2023 21:03

God lord I thought you were being hysterical but you are right. Now I am hysterical and will never eat bread again.

oakleaffy · 18/01/2023 21:03

My goodness- that’s appalling.
Absolutely gross.
Is this “expensive “ bread like Warburtons or the cheap supermarket own brands?

Urgh!

OriGanOver · 18/01/2023 21:04

I didn't know that is what amino acid is!

Pearfacebanana · 18/01/2023 21:04

Is it April 1st?

I need a reason to stop eating bread but not convinced on this one...

HolibobsinApril · 18/01/2023 21:05

Revolting!!!

RabbitDeadUnsoldHutch · 18/01/2023 21:05

I was confused then as I saw this advert. I thought it was women yanking off their hair to add to bread 🤢

WTF … Human hair in bread!
RabbitDeadUnsoldHutch · 18/01/2023 21:05

stbrandonsboat · 18/01/2023 21:03

I suppose it might have head lice in as well then, seeing as they live on hair.

Not vegan bread.

ReamsOfCheese · 18/01/2023 21:07

I can't read the 10-year-old article as it's behind a login and I refuse to give the Grun my details. But what is with that stock photo of bread in the OP?

RicherThanYews · 18/01/2023 21:12

I'm really not bothered. I might be getting too mellow in my old age. I wasn't hysterical about horsemeat back in 2013 so a bit of human hair extract (not actual slabs of human hair) is just a bit meh.

yousmellnice · 18/01/2023 21:15

ReamsOfCheese · 18/01/2023 21:07

I can't read the 10-year-old article as it's behind a login and I refuse to give the Grun my details. But what is with that stock photo of bread in the OP?

In case you don't know what it looks like

TheGriffle · 18/01/2023 21:16

I can’t see it in our bread. That’s an American website you’ve linked too and also 10 years old.

Just a quick look at Warburtons, Tescos own and Hovis, it’s not in any of them (it’s also called E920)

WTF … Human hair in bread!
Bonjovispyjamas · 18/01/2023 21:19

I remember reading about hair in bread years ago, but had totally forgotten about it until you reminded me, guess it couldn't have bothered me too much at the time 🤣 Does sound gross though.

Original poster
TheRealHousewife · 18/01/2023 21:19

Put the question in Google and this came up:-

Question … Is L-cysteine made from human hair?
Answer … L-Cysteine – an amino acid used to prolong shelf-life in products such as commercial bread – can be found in duck and chicken feathers and cow horns, but most that's used in food comes from human hair.

Ive looked on Waitrose own brand wholemeal and L-Cysteine ISNT listed.

However Black Sheep Craft Bakery Tiger Bloomer www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/black-sheep-craft-bakery-white-tiger-bloomer/520256-657655-657656 does contain it.

Read the ingredients list if you want to identify where it is in order to avoid it.

To the poster who said it wasn’t actually human hair. Sorry to say it is. It’s processed and an added ingredient to some breads. Another reason to shop local at your local bakery if you have one nearby … or make your own. Explains why my home made bread doesn’t have a long shelf life.

OP posts:
Original poster
TheRealHousewife · 18/01/2023 21:24

@TheGriffle Its the Guardian, which is a newspaper in the UK. A more recent article came up in apple news today. I posted the Guardian link as it doesn’t have a pay wall.

@ReamsOfCheese I like photos 😬 Adds interest. Reading and engaging isn’t compulsory… Scroll on if your not interested 🙂

OP posts:
Original poster
TheRealHousewife · 18/01/2023 21:27

*You’re

OP posts:
GCITC · 18/01/2023 21:34

www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308814618305818

This study showed that it isn't derived from human hair, and any derived from human hair is illegal in the EU.

TheGriffle · 18/01/2023 21:34

Sorry I got caught up in the FDA mentions at the end of the article. It can be synthetically produced so I think it would be very rare to find the human hair variety.

[https://www.foodguide.org.uk/answer/256/ These]] responses from companies back in 2013 state they use synthetic E920.

greenspaces4peace · 18/01/2023 21:35

yup @TheRealHousewife it's one reason why dh bakes almost all our own bread/biscuits etc.
i have a hard time with tortilla type shells which in theory would make awesome wraps but MOST of the ones i've found have L-cystine listed and in the end dh does not believe the others don't even when not listed (maybe a different name for duck feathers type issue).
when dh makes bread it last maybe 3-4 days before it starts getting moldy the store bought stuff can last 2 weeks. it makes us highly suspicious as to what they are using (which includes formaldehyde).

TheGriffle · 18/01/2023 21:35

Link sorry, messed my link up there.

ThreeLittleDots · 18/01/2023 21:38

I can't bring myself to clutch my pearls over this at all.

Eating dead bodies is far more horrific.