for those of you who keep your bread in the fridge

Disco Boy · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:18

I've had this discussion with many people now, and it's starting to grate.

If you put your bread in the fridge it will go stale more quickly. Bread going stale is caused by amylopectin in the bread crystallising, this happens more quickly at low temperatures. Also, cold bread isn't as nice.

Yes mould is more likely to grow on your bread at room temperature, but that generally happens after the bread has gone stale anyway.

So for Pete's sake take, use your loaf and take your bread out of the fridge, it's not as tasty and it doesn't last as long.

Sources:

http://www.boston.com/news/science/...he_fridge_or_when_stored_at_room_temperature/

"Bread Science" by Emily Buehler, pp 102-104
http://www.twobluebooks.com/Website excerpt.pdf

http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4571444_what-makes-bread-stale.html

NathanE · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:22

What about freezing it?

Disco Boy · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:25

NathanE said:
What about freezing it?

"You can also freeze bread, which might not sound like too good an idea, but if you do it quickly, the bread doesn't spend too long at temperatures that favor retrogradation. You can heat the frozen stuff up again just before you want to eat it and it won't be bad."

http://www.boston.com/news/science/...he_fridge_or_when_stored_at_room_temperature/

I know that in our household we have always frozen bread and it's been fine. As it happens, this evening my parents bought a load of reduced price bread and chucked it in the freezer for when it's needed. So as far as I'm concerned keeping it in the freezer is a good idea.

J1234 · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:25

It lasts longer in the fridge and doesn't go stale.

Nix · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:27

I've never been a fan of cold bread either. Room temperature tends to suit me fine.

Disco Boy · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:27

Justin said:
It lasts longer in the fridge and doesn't go stale.

The sky is purple with green polka dots.

Efour · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:29

yeah i agree room temp bread for ever - fridge bread is just rank

Mr Doovde · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:30

I freeze bread until it is needed (usually after several days) and let it thaw naturally to room temperature.

TFleming · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:31

PEOPLE KEEP BREAD IN THE FRIDGE?!?!?

Souljacker · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:32

Freeze it till ya need it, then defrost it and keep it in a bread bin!

Fridge bread goes soggy...

[FnG]magnolia · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:33

Consider where supermarkets sell bread from. It's an ambient product that only benefits from freezing, not being chilled.

Nazca · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:33

I keep bread in the fridge and it lasts ages. As for cold bread. I put it in the toaster for about 10-20 seconds to warm up to room temp. Easy.

Russinating · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:33

I used to put in the fridge at uni not to stop it going stale, but to just generally make it last (ie not go mouldy) for longer. I only used it for toast anyway so the hardness didn't matter.

Chris1712 · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:36

I put it in the fridge because I so rarely use the stuff and it lasts ages in there! Definitely a good 50% longer.
I only ever toast bread aswell so I don't get cold bread (which does indeed, lose).

Glaucus · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:38

Bread, eggs, mayo, ketchup None should be found in the fridge.

SlyReaper · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:39

Thing is, I can never use up even a half loaf before it goes mouldy if I don't fridge it.

Nazca · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:41

AcidHell2 said:
Bread, eggs, mayo, ketchup None should be found in the fridge.

Add peanut butter to that list.

Sam · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:42

Efour2 said:
yeah i agree room temp bread for ever - fridge bread is just rank

Yep

Berserker · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:42

AcidHell2 said:
Bread, eggs, mayo, ketchup None should be found in the fridge.

So why do they always supply egg trays then?

Bread in the fridge here too - not because it's better (because I can certainly believe it isn't), but because I don't want mouldy bread by the time I get to the end of the loaf. Wish I'd thought of this before though - buy bread, split into manageable portions and freeze individually. I may well give that a try.

If I could afford it and had the time, I'd have freshly baked every time, but I can't/don't.

Cuchulain · 14 Dec 2009 at 22:43

AcidHell2 said:
Bread, eggs, mayo, ketchup None should be found in the fridge.

All fine apart from the mayo, it'll be fine (even if opened) out of the fridge but once you start dipping spoons, knives etc in and dropping crumbs of perishable food in it, it soon goes off.