Eugene Edelmann: Health and Wellness

We have all seen bagels or bagel shops on our travels, and they are quite popular for breakfast or lunch. Responsible for introducing (not inventing) the bagel to Edmonton was baker Eugene Edelmann, who opened the popular Bon Ton Bakery in 1956.

Eugene Edelmann’s invention was inspired by health concerns. In 1988, Edelmann was diagnosed with high blood pressure and given the choice of controlling his illness medically or by diet. He chose the latter, and after heart bypass surgery, set about developing a multigrain bread that was high in Omega-3 oils.

Eugene’s goal was to create a good-tasting bread that was healthy. From the beginning, Edelmann established that it would be low in salt and sugar and high in fibre. The most difficult part was trying to introduce the omega-3 component (important for heart health) into the bread. Most people used fish oils to get their daily dose of omega-3, but Eugene did not think that fish oil would mix well with bread. In order to infuse bread with omega-3, Edelmann chose grain sources that had the highest content.

Eugene began experimenting with different grains, flours, and meals, all the while tasting and evaluating the results. The Omega-3 bread was standing up fine, but its bitter taste needed to be improved upon, so Edelmann removed some of the flax.

Finally, Edelmann solved the flavour problem by using fresh lemon peel, which carried a hint of sweetness, as well as an aroma for the bread that Edelmann said played to his senses as a baker.

After working on the prototype loaf for several months, he introduced it to the Edmonton market in 1989.

Edelmann retired in 1996 and sold his bakery. The current owners, Hilton and Michelle Dinner, continue to offer health in a loaf. In October 2004, the Dinners announced a product line of 10 wholegrain trans-fat-free breads, all tested by the University of Alberta—and among them was an Omega-3 bread.

For more information on Omega 3 Bread please click the following link.