# Does bread stay good longer than it used to? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 31, 2018, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513 "2018-03-31T03:52:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/1 "2018-03-31T03:52:30Z")
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? . ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/2 "2018-03-31T04:36:09Z")
I would think being kept in cooler conditions and getting to your local grocery store quicker has something to do with it also. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/3 "2018-03-31T04:59:59Z")
In the [wiki for calcium propionate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_propanoate), 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.”_ ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/4 "2018-03-31T14:31:49Z")
I’ve noticed that my homemade bread will get moldy way before a store bought loaf. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/5 "2018-03-31T17:02:13Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/6 "2018-03-31T18:47:30Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’ve noticed that my homemade bread will get moldy way before a store bought loaf. Moldy? All my home made bread goes stale within a couple days. Never seen it get moldy because we throw it away. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/7 "2018-03-31T19:05:47Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > 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!!! ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2018, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/8 "2018-03-31T19:23:15Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > Are there more and/or better preservatives in bread today than in days of yore? 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? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/9 "2018-04-01T00:44:31Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: > Bread pudding!!! …bread crumbs for your meatballs; toast soldiers for under your soft-boiled eggs; but especially…panade. > **[French Onion Panade Recipe](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019167-french-onion-panade)** > > Panade is the French country cook's answer to stuffing — a satisfying and efficient way to use up stale bread. Because there are so few components, taking care to ensure that each one is just right will make all the difference in how the final... ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2018, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/10 "2018-04-01T04:03:35Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > I live in the same state, so there shouldn’t be a humidity difference. Was your childhood home air-conditioned all the time? Is your home now? ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/11 "2018-04-02T14:37:13Z")
Going back to the OP: (I **refuse** to be distracted by the mention of bread pudding, do you hear me!? _ **REFUSE** _!!! \) 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). ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/12 "2018-04-02T15:57:23Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > Was your childhood home air-conditioned all the time? Is your home now? Yes and yes although it’s possible that today’s central air conditioners do a better job of dehumidifying the air. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/13 "2018-04-02T16:30:05Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > 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. 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. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/14 "2018-04-02T17:20:25Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > …bread crumbs for your meatballs; toast soldiers for under your soft-boiled eggs; but especially…panade. > > [French Onion Panade Recipe](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019167-french-onion-panade) …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. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/15 "2018-04-02T23:19:57Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > 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. This is true of their bread too. They must contain a terrifying amount of preservatives. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2018, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/16 "2018-04-02T23:55:01Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/17 "2018-04-03T00:07:37Z")
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. > [@running\_coach](#): > > :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek: > Bread pudding!!! no croutons …or filling for meat loaf? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2018, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/18 "2018-04-03T00:17:10Z")
Oroweat Oat Nut Bread often sits on my countertop 10 days. No mold and it’s not stale. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2018, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-bread-stay-good-longer-than-it-used-to/811513/19 "2018-04-06T03:35:57Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > …bread crumbs for your meatballs; toast soldiers for under your soft-boiled eggs; but especially…panade. > > [French Onion Panade Recipe](https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019167-french-onion-panade) Or just feed the birds. They’re not picky.