sourfaux

English

Etymology

From sour +‎ faux. Coined by Chris Young, the coordinator of the Real Bread Campaign, in 2015.

Noun

sourfaux (plural not attested)

1. (cooking, nutrition, neologism) A kind of bread that is labelled as sourdough by the shop that sells it but actually contains cheaper ingredients and is prepared in a way that requires less time.
   • 2016 September 3, Amy Bryant, “Food & drink”, in Telegraph Magazine, London, page 65:

     The taste’s one thing, says Real Bread’s co-ordinator, Chris Young, but there are also health benefts (including a lower glycaemic index and higher nutritional value) in genuinely slow-fermented bread compared to a ‘sourfaux’ loaded with commercial yeast, sourdough powder or preservatives.

   • 2022 April 23, Jon Ungoed-Thomas, “An honest crust? Craft bakeries rise up against ‘sourfaux’ bread”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     But it is now under scrutiny in a government review over the longstanding claims that a “sourfaux” scandal is undermining the traditional genuine loaf.

   • 2024 February 11, Aditi Rane, “The sourdough bread you're buying could be fake, experts share how to tell”, in Express, London:

     The Real Bread Campaign recently exposed over 20 examples of ‘sourfaux’ being marketed as ‘sourdough’ and being sold at premium prices, despite being manufactured by a completely different process using baker’s yeast, chemical raising agents and additives.