"Scott" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> "Charles Baker" > wrote:
>
> > The first fermenting is the leaving of the dough as whole or portioning
it
> > and then leaving it to rest and relax for a bit to allow the gluten to
> > condition. Here, it is common to either lighly dust the dough with
flour or
> > to lightly spray it with a non-stick cooking spray and cover it with a
BIG
> > GARBAGE BAG (not put it inside the bag) and let it rest till double size
and
> > relaxed. For a small amount you may also choose to place the dough in
a
> > lightly sprayed stainless steel bowl, but making sure you toss the dough
> > around so as just to cover it with the spray, then tightly cover the
bowl
> > with saran wrap and place it in a lukewarm (not to hot ) area, such as
on
> > top of an oven (not inside).
> >
>
> I hope the garbage bag doesn't touch the dough. Garbage bags aren't
> food-safe containers. Besides containing plasticizers untested for
> contact with food (both in type and quantity), they are often treated at
> by the manufacturer with deodorants and pesticides.
>
> If a health inspector from most US states saw this type of thing in a
> restaurant, the establishment's owner would likely get a violation
> written up and be ordered to trash the dough. I don't know the rules in
> Canada, but I'd be surprised if they were substantively different--and
> the underlying reason is still the same.

WOW.
When I was in culinary school not to long ago, I wondered why so many cooks
were carrying around tool boxes and tackle boxes, rather than a specialized
kitchen equipment carrier. Most if not all chefs use a lot of interesting
tools in their arsenal of food preparation and presentation. Plumbing
copper pipes may be cut down, sanded out, and cleaned to be used to mold
towers of pasta, salad, ice cream, etc.. Sure you can use a lot of
different tools, (saws, hammers, pliers, nails, etc,) and a lot of different
mediums (ceramic bathroom tiles in place of plates), plastic bins or straw
baskets for fermenting or proofing breads. And that is completely up to
you.

To get to the point, and back from my tangent.......yes the Garbage bag does
touch the dough. If you want to come down to the nitty-gritty......everyone
can find anything bad in everything. Obviously don't use the perfume-lilac
scented garbage bags from arm&hammer co., Industrial black or clear
garbage bags work well and can be used over and over again. Where I would
prefer to lighly dust the dough with flour, one of my friend's prefers to
spray pam over the dough. and when you want, actually use them for
garbage and discard. You can use plastic containers that are lightly
sprayed with oil to prevent sticking.
As for the Health Inspectors....none that I know have had any problems with
these methods - in Canada or from a number of friends in the USA. But as I
am curious myself, I will call US depts of health and in Canada to get their
take.

Charles Baker.