To add shelf-stable soup to bread dough while keeping an eye on sugars, compare the ‘of which sugars’ line and check the ingredients rather than relying on taste. Also check the salt, allergens and amount of liquid it adds: you can’t add liquid soup to a yeasted recipe without adjusting the proportions.
You’re looking for shelf-stable soup for a savoury bread recipe and want to compare the sugar figures on the label. Taste and the presence of vegetables aren’t enough to determine this value: the DGCCRF recommends checking nutritional information using a common basis of 100 g or 100 ml.
You’re planning to replace some of the liquid in the recipe with soup. You’ll need to account for the water and salt it adds; Lesaffre France explains that salt affects the fermentation and texture of bread.
You need to check that the soup’s ingredients are suitable for everyone who’ll be eating the bread. For prepacked foods, allergens are listed and highlighted in the ingredients list, according to information published by the ministry responsible for the economy.
Start with the sugars and ingredients in your chosen soup, then consider how it will affect your dough and check for allergens.
| Criterion | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Sugars | Compare ‘of which sugars’ per 100 g or 100 ml and read the ingredients; don’t assume a product is lower in sugars based on its name alone. | I want to choose a soup for my bread without mistaking a less sweet flavour for the sugar content shown on the label. Around 38% of consumers rank this check as their top priority. |
| Water and salt | Check whether the soup is liquid or dehydrated, then look at its salt content and how much you’ll add to the dough. | If I replace water with soup, I want to stay in control of the proportions in my yeasted dough. This is the top priority for around 37% of consumers. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Read the ingredients list, check the highlighted allergens and follow the storage instructions after opening. | Before sharing the bread, I need to know whether the soup contains an ingredient that isn’t suitable for someone in my household. For around 25% of consumers, this comes before other criteria. |
These terms don’t mean the same thing. The DGCCRF points out that nutrition claims are regulated. When comparing two soups, the ‘of which sugars’ figure and the ingredients list are still essential.
Check the exact wording on the product and compare the nutritional information on the same basis, per 100 g or per 100 ml.
As well as other ingredients, liquid soup adds water and salt. According to Lesaffre France, salt affects the fermentation and texture of bread.
Replace some of the liquid in the recipe rather than adding soup on top of the original quantities. Take the salt listed on the label into account and try a small batch first.
A name that suggests vegetables doesn’t tell you everything that’s in the soup. Carrefour’s product listing for a Royco dehydrated soup mentions celery, milk proteins and wheat flour, among other ingredients.
Check the highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain traces’ statements on the label of the product you plan to use.
These examples show how formats and ingredient lists can vary. Information about one soup won’t necessarily apply to every soup from the same brand.
The product described by Carrefour is a dehydrated soup that needs to be prepared, not a liquid tinned soup.
Carrefour’s product listing describes a 1 L carton of liquid vegetable soup.
Auchan’s product listing describes a 1 L carton of shelf-stable liquid vegetable soup.
Compare the ‘of which sugars’ line on a common basis of 100 g or 100 ml, rather than relying on the serving size or taste. The DGCCRF says that nutritional values are shown on this basis. Also check the ingredients, which may include sugar or syrups.
No. A claim about sugars doesn’t tell you how the soup will behave in a yeasted dough. Check the exact wording of the claim on the product, then adjust the amount of liquid and check the salt content. Lesaffre France explains that salt affects fermentation and texture.
Check the allergens on the label of your chosen soup that are relevant to your household. Carrefour’s product listing for a Royco dehydrated soup mentions celery, milk and wheat, among other ingredients; the ingredients may differ in another product.
Follow the storage instructions for the product you’ve bought. The Auchan listing for the Liebig soup described here says to refrigerate it after opening and consume it within 48 hours. Check the packaging if you choose a different product.