British bread-maker Hovis has unveiled the crustless loaf. Alan Hamilton reports (Times) that surveys showed crusts to be unpopular.

Along with fruit, crusts are the most regularly uneaten item in lunchboxes when they come back from school. Two thirds of British children, it is claimed, do not like crusts. One third of British parents cut crusts off sandwiches before they despatch them and their children to school.

Even London's Dorchester Hotel, where the new bread was launched yesterday, cuts the crusts off its afternoon tea sandwiches. Hovis, a branch of RHM, have developed a new method of baking bread slowly but thoroughly in a cool oven, so that brown crusts have no chance to form.

This may not be entirely a good thing. Some will say we should change our way of life, and learn to live with crusts, rather than relying on technological solutions which eliminate them. Others will suggest that it is good for children to be made to do things they dislike doing because this 'develops character.' And there must be some who still believe what they were told as children, that eating crusts will make your hair curly (it was never explained why this was a good thing). The initial reaction of experts was not promising.

Fiona Hunter, a nutritionist, said: "If you throw away the crust you are getting less carbohydrate, which is the good part of bread, and a higher proportion of fat, the not-so-good bit." Of deeper concern is the possible psychological effect on a child raised on crustless bread. Dr Pat Spungin, a child psychologist and parenting expert, said: "If you allow your children to discard the crust, they spot many other opportunities to reject food they don't like."

The ASI supports this innovation because it extends choice, as well as cutting back on waste. It is a significant breakthrough, and is probably the best thing since…since…