H Rostami - Baqiyatallah University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
D farajzadeh - Medicine, Quran and Hadith Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
P Haratian - Dep. Of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Science, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
H Masoumbeigi - Health Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran
A Ebadi - Faculty of Nursing, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
M Delkhosh - PhD candidate of health in emergencies and disaster, school of public health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Background and purpose:Consumption of baking soda, as a primary material for preparation of bread dough, has been banned due to its health complications in Iran. So bread production in our country faced difficulties and one part of them is related to health issues which are bread production. Also, in some cases, baking soda is used in the bread production. This study was done to study the environmental health status and consumption of baking soda in the military and urban Lavash bakeries of Tehran in ۲۰۱۲. Materials and methods:This is a descriptive comparative study done on Lavash bread production of ۱۴ military bakeries and ۱۴ corresponding urban bakeries near them. PH in the samples was tested based on Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran No. ۲۶۲۸. To check the status of environmental health and personal hygiene of bakeries, the check list of Cereal Research Center was used. Results:In terms of environmental health status,۲۸.۶% military bakeries and۷.۱% urban bakeries were at good level. In terms of personal hygiene, all bakeries were in the poor category. Also,۴۲.۹% of military Lavash bakeries and ۱۴.۳% of urban Lavash bakeries used baking soda in their bread production. Conclusion:Environment health and personal hygiene status in military bakeries are better than the urban bakeries however, hygiene status was not desirable in military bakeries. Also, baking soda consumption in military bakeries was more common than the urban bakeries. According to the results of this study, control of health status and avoiding baking soda consumption in the bakeries are necessary.

Quality of bread, Baking Soda, Environmental Health, Personal Hygiene, Bakeries