Tehran’s Bread Dilemma: The Political Challenge of Whole-Grain Access
A senior Iranian health official has highlighted a significant gap in the capital’s food supply, framing the lack of access to truly whole-grain bread not just as a dietary issue, but as a matter requiring public and administrative action.
A Capital Without a Staple
According to Dr. Seyed Hassan Emami-Razavi, Secretary of the Supreme Council for Health and Food Security, Tehran faces a notable absence of bakeries producing genuine whole-grain bread. He emphasized that access to this healthier alternative must become a public demand. “People must come to the realization that whole-grain bread is a necessity,” Dr. Emami-Razavi stated, pointing out its superior health benefits and its potential to supplement protein intake at a time when many citizens are not receiving adequate amounts.
Currently, Tehran residents seeking whole-grain bread must turn to supermarkets that import it from other cities. The official noted that this supply chain results in bread that is often stale and unpalatable by the time it reaches consumers.
Resistance and Conflicting Interests
The core of the problem, as explained by Dr. Emami-Razavi, lies in “resistance” rooted in “conflicting interests.” He reported that certain figures within the bakers’ union are preventing the production of whole-grain bread within the capital. The opposition’s argument is twofold: the production process for whole-grain bread is longer, and the state-set consumer price does not make it economically viable for bakers, discouraging them from entering this market.
A Proposed Economic Solution
To address these economic hurdles, a meeting was convened to review the conditions for producing whole-grain bread. A proposal from the Ministry of Interior is under consideration. The plan suggests factoring bakery rental costs into the final price of the bread, allowing for different pricing in different parts of the city. “The purchasing power of residents in northern and southern Tehran is certainly different,” Dr. Emami-Razavi explained. Consequently, the price of whole-grain bread could be set lower in the southern parts of the city compared to the north, reflecting both purchasing power and lower rental costs for bakeries in those areas. This proposal has reportedly been partially approved.
National Production Capacity
On a national level, the infrastructure for whole-grain flour production exists. The official revealed that while 140 factories have obtained licenses to produce whole-grain flour, 80 are currently active. Furthermore, 600 bakeries across the country are already supplying whole-grain bread. Dr. Emami-Razavi affirmed that if the Ministry of Interior successfully addresses the economic concerns of bakers, the incentive to bake whole-grain bread will increase, subsequently boosting demand for the flour and activating more production capacity.
The Challenge of Public Taste
Acknowledging another layer of the challenge, the official admitted that convincing the public to switch from popular white breads will be a time-consuming process. White bread is often perceived as tastier, a preference some bakeries reinforce by using unspecified additives to enhance flavor. Dr. Emami-Razavi stressed that while bread should be processed to suit public taste, people’s palates can adapt over time as they become accustomed to new foods. He also pointed to the need to correct public misconceptions about the bran content in different bread types, urging greater public awareness to inform better dietary choices.
