Disinfecting Bread in Turkey

Loaves of white crusty bread are commonly sold on the streets, in the markets and in the stores of Turkey.  These loaves of bread are often seen being handled unwrapped by multiple people, laid on counters, and dropped in plastics bags; seemingly without care of the bread getting dirty or harbouring germs.   However, many Turks counteract this potential hygiene issue by rolling the loaf of bread across the gas flame of the stove.  This is referred to as "disinfecting" the bread.  Be careful not to toast the bread, you merely want to touch the surface area of the crust quickly with the flame of the burner in order to kill any unwanted bacteria that may be hiding.