The Ultimate Vending Machine

This is far from your everyday Coke

or Pepsi

dispensary.

In France, one clever baker has created a vending machine with an item we never saw coming: freshly baked bread. Jean-Louis Hecht, a baker from Hombourg-Haut, has launched two vending machines in order to provide his customers with a fresh loaf 24 hours a day. According to

(via

), these coin-operated dispensaries contain 90 pre-cooked loaves, which are warmed up before being delivered to the customer. The Associated Press posted this

on YouTube. Warning: the clip is sure to make your mouth water.

As great as this seems, however, I do have some concerns. First of all, is the bread preserved? I go out of my way to drive to bakeries that make fresh bread without any additives. If these vending machines lead to a world where every loaf of bread is pre-cooked, many bakers will be tempted to add preservatives to the mix. Second, what's with the lack of cleanliness? Right now, most people are just reaching in and grabbing the bread with their bare hands. Why doesn't the vending machine automatically drop the bread into a paper bag so that shoppers can take one home with ease?