4 ms·

I don’t think this makes much of a difference. AFAIK retrogradation of the starches is the major culprit of staling. This process is advanced by the cold insid

I don’t think this makes much of a difference. AFAIK retrogradation of the starches is the major culprit of staling. This process is advanced by the cold inside the fridge, not moisture or air contact. Freezing stops the process; cooling quickens it.

justinclift 2y ago
> I don’t think this makes much of a difference. From practical experience, it really does. To a huge extent. It's why most major supermarkets (unless forbidden by law) will wrap their home brand breads in packaging with holes in it. Higher sales because the bread is always hard as a rock 2 days later unless placed in an airtight container. That's in southern and middle (east) Australia's climate anyway. :)
- ycombinete 2y ago
  I make a lot of bread at home, and bread in an airtight container, at room temp, goes moldy within 48 hours where I live. I can imagine this wouldn’t happen in the fridge. Store bought bread follows its own rules though. Given the sheer quantity of additives they have. Where I have lived, if you put traditionally made bread (just water, salt, flour and yeast) in an airtight container at room temperature it’ll be covered in mold within a day or two.
  - justinclift 2y ago
    > ... it’ll be covered in mold within a day or two. Wow, sounds like a super active biosphere in your part of the world. In East Coast Australia I've not had things go like that. Mold is pretty rare on bread unless something weird is going on.
    - ycombinete 2y ago
      I think it's more because 1. you are storing it in the fridge (which would speed up the staling, but retard the mold formation), and 2. because I only eat bread that's just made with wheat, flour, water, salt, and yeast. Shop bought bread takes a lot longer to stale and to mold, because it has plenty of additives designed to do just that.
      - justinclift 2y ago
        > ... it has plenty of additives designed to do just that. Um, isn't it just the US whose bread is full of additives? Other countries I've been to don't, and Australia doesn't commonly either.
        ycombinete 2y ago
        https://www.choice.com.au/food-and-drink/bread-cereal-and-grains/bread/articles/bread-guide https://www.choice.com.au/food-and-drink/bread-cereal-and-gr...
        justinclift 2y ago
        Interesting. Now do the US? :)

justinclift 2y ago

> I don’t think this makes much of a difference. From practical experience, it really does. To a huge extent. It's why most major supermarkets (unless forbidden by law) will wrap their home brand breads in packaging with holes in it. Higher sales because the bread is always hard as a rock 2 days later unless placed in an airtight container. That's in southern and middle (east) Australia's climate anyway. :)

ycombinete 2y ago
I make a lot of bread at home, and bread in an airtight container, at room temp, goes moldy within 48 hours where I live. I can imagine this wouldn’t happen in the fridge. Store bought bread follows its own rules though. Given the sheer quantity of additives they have. Where I have lived, if you put traditionally made bread (just water, salt, flour and yeast) in an airtight container at room temperature it’ll be covered in mold within a day or two.
- justinclift 2y ago
  > ... it’ll be covered in mold within a day or two. Wow, sounds like a super active biosphere in your part of the world. In East Coast Australia I've not had things go like that. Mold is pretty rare on bread unless something weird is going on.
  - ycombinete 2y ago
    I think it's more because 1. you are storing it in the fridge (which would speed up the staling, but retard the mold formation), and 2. because I only eat bread that's just made with wheat, flour, water, salt, and yeast. Shop bought bread takes a lot longer to stale and to mold, because it has plenty of additives designed to do just that.
    - justinclift 2y ago
      > ... it has plenty of additives designed to do just that. Um, isn't it just the US whose bread is full of additives? Other countries I've been to don't, and Australia doesn't commonly either.
      - ycombinete 2y ago
        https://www.choice.com.au/food-and-drink/bread-cereal-and-grains/bread/articles/bread-guide https://www.choice.com.au/food-and-drink/bread-cereal-and-gr...
        justinclift 2y ago
        Interesting. Now do the US? :)