What's the deal with bread-bag twist ties?

[Michael in FtW]

I generally bake my own bread every week - but sometimes I do have to buy a loaf from the local grocery store. I was once curious why the twist-ties were different colors .... and someone explained that it was a way for the bread delivery guys to know what day of the week the bread was produced so they would know what to pull. Okay - that makes sense .....

But, WHY do they not twist the ties in the same direction all the time?? Righty-tighty-lefty-loosey ... why can't they just do it that way all the time??? I've not kept a record to see if it a color specific thing ... but some are wound clockwise - some are counterwise.

Anyone else ever notice this - or is it just me???

[kitchenelf]

I've never noticed - I'll try to pay attention!

[pacanis]

Yep. I know exactly what you're saying. It seems most of them are twisted on backwards, you have to twist them clockwise to take them off, then I'll run into one that is put on "normally", like most people would expect to turn it to take it off.
I've never been in a bread factory, so I don't know if a machine puts the twist ties on or they are done by hand. I wouldn't think they are put on by hand, but what else would explain it?

[letscook]

Monday -Blue
Tuesday -Green
Thursday -Red
Friday -White
Saturday -Yellow
So if today was Thursday, you would want red twist tie not white which is Fridays (almost a week old)!
The colors go alphabetically by color Blue - Green - Red - White - Yellow, Monday thru Saturday. Very easy to remember. I thought this was interesting. I looked in the grocery store and the bread wrappers DO have different twist ties, and even the one with the plastic clips have different colors. Enjoy fresh bread when you buy bread with the right color on the day you are shopping.

[JMediger]

My guess is that it would depend on the person tieing off the bag ... If you are right handed, you are going to twist it clockwise while if you are left handed, the more comfortable motion would be counter clockwise (I'm guessing).

I helped slice and bag bread when I was a kid in my dad's grocery store (very cool slicing machine, no automatic twister though) so I'm basing it on my own experience.

Just a guess!

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by JMediger

My guess is that it would depend on the person tieing off the bag ... If you are right handed, you are going to twist it clockwise while if you are left handed, the more comfortable motion would be counter clockwise (I'm guessing).

I helped slice and bag bread when I was a kid in my dad's grocery store (very cool slicing machine, no automatic twister though) so I'm basing it on my own experience.

Just a guess!

My guess is that the twisting is done by machine for the large bakers.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

My guess is that the twisting is done by machine for the large bakers.

Your guess would be 100% Correct!! You would not believe how fast bread moves down a line and is sliced, bagged, and twist tied!! Hand tied would only be in small, mom & pop bakeries.

[buckytom]

i guess some bagging and tying machines are made by left handed techs, the others, righthanded.


maybe the machines tie each bag a different direction for expediency, or possibly to equalize wear on the device.

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by buckytom

i guess some bagging and tying machines are made by left handed techs, the others, righthanded.


maybe the machines tie each bag a different direction for expediency, or possibly to equalize wear on the device.

That's a good point. While I have watched the process several times in a past life, I have no answer (right now) as to why some loaves/bags would be twisted in one direction and others in a different direction. Stay tuned..........

PS.. Between the OP and your humble correspondent, (and others) the mystery will be solved!!

[Andy M.]

Probably different twisting machines at the ends of two different bread lines.