The bread from Ljunga in Central Sweden. New anlayses

Abstract

This paper discusses new aspects of the bread from Ljunga, Skönberga par., Östergötland. It is suggested that the dating of the bread should be drawn back to the end of the Vendel Period, based on a redating of the comb fragments found with the bread. The morphology of the bread loaves from trial bakings indicates that the Ljunga bread was unleavened. Various chemical analyses were
carried out. The composition of the amino acids still surviving in the bread seems to confirm previous interpretations as to its content, based on light- and scanning electron-microscopic analyses. Orre must be very careful when drawing any conclusions, however, since many of the original amino acids in the bread could no longer be detected. Further, the composition of the ingredients in this bread provided it with a high nutritional value.