The panbauletto – also known as pan carré or sandwich bread – permanently belongs to our pantry: soft, practical, ideal for quick snacks and toasts. With sales close to 1.2 billion euros in 2023 and an estimated diffusion in 93% of Italian families, it has assumed the status of a daily use product. However, a question arises: to what extent can we consider it safe?
Il Salvagente subjected fourteen panbauletto brands to inspection, including white and wholemeal variants, for chemical contaminants and mycotoxins. The following brands were selected as test samples:
The test results: what does sandwich bread contain?
The published analyzes have highlighted non-negligible critical issues. Out of fourteen samples examined, five reported traces of glyphosate, with concentrations between 0.01 and 0.03 µg/kg; glyphosate remains the most widely used herbicide globally and is listed as a “probable carcinogen” in IARC assessments.
Most of the products showed the presence of other pesticides, in particular piperonylbutoxide and tebuconazole; in five cases, three of which referable to wholemeal panbauletti, traces of alpha and cypermethrins emerged, substances considered toxic for bees and aquatic ecosystems and suspected of interfering with the endocrine system. The only certified organic whole sample included in the test was found to be free of pesticides.
No specimen was found to be free from mycotoxins. Ochratoxin A, a toxin with negative effects on the kidneys and liver and indicated as a possible carcinogenic agent, was found in all samples, with values ranging between 0.21 and 1.30 µg/kg; the highest levels were found in the Certosa panbauletto sold by Lidl and in the Esselunga integral.
Deoxynivalenol (Don) was identified in six samples, always with concentrations well below the legal limits; nevertheless, the coexistence of glyphosate, pesticides and mycotoxins in some trunks requires caution, especially towards children, who are more vulnerable to the effects linked to prolonged exposure and the combined effect of multiple contaminants, the so-called “cocktail effect”.
If wholemeal panbauletti generally provide greater quantities of fiber and micronutrients than the white versions, the test shows that the wholemeal choice does not automatically correspond to a guarantee of greater safety: even among wholemeal bread, traces of pesticides, glyphosate and mycotoxins were found.
The worst products in the test
According to Salvagente’s evaluation, the five worst trunks, with the greatest presence of contaminants, are the following:
To find out all the results, we refer you to the October issue of Salvagente.
