I’m 55, but as a child it seemed that our bread would often be moldy before getting to the end of the loaf. I don’t buy plain white bread like my mother did but ISTM that our bread never gets moldy even though we don’t eat it very quickly. I live in the same state, so there shouldn’t be a humidity difference.
Are there more and/or better preservatives in bread today than in days of yore?
.
I would think being kept in cooler conditions and getting to your local grocery store quicker has something to do with it also.
In the wiki for calcium propionate, which is probably the preservative most responsible for your long-lasting bread, they mention that:“A few decades ago, Bacillus mesentericus (rope), was a serious problem, but today’s improved sanitary practices in the bakery, combined with rapid turnover of the finished product, have virtually eliminated this form of spoilage.[citation needed] Calcium propanoate and sodium propanoate are effective against both B. mesentericus rope and mold.”
I’ve noticed that my homemade bread will get moldy way before a store bought loaf.
I have a loaf of “Italian” bread baked at a local factory, which lists calcium propionate as a preservative. I also have a loaf of Jewish rye, baked in an honest to goodness local bakery. The white bread stays good for about ten days (sue me — I like fried egg sandwiches, and a hard bread would pulverize the yolk in the middle of the first bite). The rye starts to mold up after three.
Moldy? All my home made bread goes stale within a couple days. Never seen it get moldy because we throw it away.
:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
Bread pudding!!!
Yes. I’ve noticed the same thing. I don’t know why - have better preservatives been discovered or developed? Have regulations changed to allow higher percentages? Have commercial bakeries discovered better sanitation procedures or use something different to clean their equipment?
I’m glad the bread lasts longer I guess, but it makes me wonder what I’m eating. If something should go bad but doesn’t, exactly what is stopping it?
…bread crumbs for your meatballs; toast soldiers for under your soft-boiled eggs; but especially…panade.
Was your childhood home air-conditioned all the time? Is your home now?
Going back to the OP: (I refuse to be distracted by the mention of bread pudding, do you hear me!? REFUSE!!! <stops getting up out of the chair to go find out if there’s any bread worth making into a pudding…>)
I find that some companies are especially egregious about preservatives in the bread. If you buy bread from Pepperidge Farm, that stuff stays good for freakin’ ever. I’ve had loaves of their rye and sourdough stay good for a month after being opened. Arnold is almost as bad; I use their sourdough for basic sandwiches and, since I’m alone in the house, it doesn’t go quickly. Almost never have it go stale or get moldy.
By comparison, the “artisanal” breads I get from places like Harris Teeter or Publix will mold up in the “usual” time (a week or so).
Yes and yes although it’s possible that today’s central air conditioners do a better job of dehumidifying the air.
A year or so ago I bought a pack of Pepperidge Farm onion hamburger buns with poppy seeds. I ate all but 2 of them the first week, and the last two sat on top of my microwave for a month. After that month I noticed those last two rolls, at least visually, had not degraded at all. I sort of forgot about them again and about another month later they were still pristine. I kept them for quite a while after that and when I finally did toss them, 5-6 months after purchase, they were still soft, not a speck of mold on them, completely identical to the day I bought them.
…and homemade croutons…
I buy Sunbeam Giant white bread loaves (kids, I don’t really like it much) and they seem to last a long time too. The wrapped tight Gruyere in my fridge molded some before it did.
This is true of their bread too. They must contain a terrifying amount of preservatives.
Note: they don’t have to tell you they put these preservatives in the bread. Putting them in contact with the wrapper at trace levels protects the bread from being colonized by spores. If it doesn’t happen at the factory, warehouse or store, you can finish it before the open and closing wears off the trace.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mahaloth
Moldy? All my home made bread goes stale within a couple days. Never seen it get moldy because we throw it away.
no croutons …or filling for meat loaf?
Oroweat Oat Nut Bread often sits on my countertop 10 days.
No mold and it’s not stale.
Or just feed the birds. They’re not picky.