Instead of the ‘best if used by’ date most other food products have bread tends to have a ‘best if purchased by’ date. So how many days after that date would bread still be considered edible and not laden with bacteria?
In my experience this depends entirely upon the brand of the bread. I have had loaves last a week after i bought them, I have also had loaves go bad in as little as 3 days. Generally I have found bread freshly baked in the supermarket to last best.
Keep it in the refrigerator and its good one and sometimes as much as two or three weeks later than the “Best if Sold By Date”
Keep it in the freezer and its good one and sometimes as much as two or three months later than the “Best if Sold By Date”
“Beware of the Cog”
IMO bread is good until it grows mold or gets hard and stale. Anywhere from three days to three weeks depending on the type of bread and how you store it.
Molds, rather than bacteria, are the main culprits in bread spoilage. The rate of growth depends on the moisture content of the bread. I’ve had homebaked pesto loafs go bad in three days, while an opened package of “beefsteak rye”, or similar low moisture, preservative containing bread will last 3 weeks or more on the counter.
Bread will definitely last longer than 3 weeks in a refrigerator. Speaking from personal experience, I’ve had wheat bread last up to several months this way. Your various senses other than hearing, will generally tell you if it’s good or bad.