Bread goes stale primarily because of a molecular change called starch retrogradation. When bread bakes, starch and water bond into a soft structure. As it cools and ages, starch molecules realign into a rigid crystal shape and push out water, making the bread tough and hard even if it does not dry out completely. Starches called amylose and amylopectin slowly return to a hard, crystal-like form after baking.
Water shifts away from the starch and moves into the spaces inside the bread or escapes into the air.
Cold fridge temperatures speed up this crystal process, which makes bread go stale much faster than it does at room temperature.
I make my own bread out of whole wheat sourdough and 00 flour that is gown all organic. The bread never goes stale as it will go green with mold in 4 days because there are no preservatives. I throw out a third to a half loaf every week.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's not smart. I make sourdough, also. When my wife and I cut down our bread consumption, I started making smaller loaves. Can't stand throwing out my lovingly-made bread.
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