Food As Punishment: Giving U.S. Inmates 'The Loaf' PersistsLisa Brown for NPRIn many prisons and jails across the U.S., punishment can come in the form of a bland, brownish lump. Known as nutraloaf, or simply "the loaf," it's fed day after day to inmates who throw food or, in some cases, get violent. Even though it meets nutritional guidelines, civil rights activists urge against the use of the brick-shaped meal.Tasteless food as punishment is nothing new: Back in the 19th century, prisoners