I received an email the other day, citing things that Geoge Carlin allegedly said. I have no way right this second of confirming or denying whether he did, but the list included a question as to why croutons, which are essentially stale bread, come in freshness-sealed bags. Now that I think about it, it’s a decent question. So why DO they come in freshness-sealed packets? Does the FDA mandate and any type of bread/bread product be perserved in such a manner?
Believe it or not, they can go stale. They don’t taste too good (IMHO) when they’re this way. If you’ve ever left out a package of Oreos without wrapping them tight, and had one about 3-4 days after initial lay-out, you would find the texture comparable with spent croutons.
Right. Contrary to another thread a couple days ago, dry bread is not the same as stale bread. (And moisturizing stale bread will not turn it back to normal.)
They’re protecting the croutons from becoming stale. And also from having outside oders affect them, but that’s secondary.
Croutons aren’t stale bread. They’re toasted bread. They’re supposed to be crisp. If you let them absorb moisture from the air, they aren’t crisp anymore. Try eating soggy potato crisps and tell me if they taste and feel right.
Yup…I can attest that eating stale croutons is like trying to grind concrete in your mouth…
D.
Plus if they were not sealed, they could get soggy! Put some toast in a cookie jar and it will absorb water from the cookies…
You just have to know the universal law of staleness. Crunchy foods will go soft, soft foods will become crunchy.
Unless you live in the Denver area, then you only have to worry about soft food becoming crunchy (lack of humidity).
As explained above, croutons are crunchy as they are toasted bread and will sponge up water if left out.
Now the real question is why do they wrap the outside of the straw when it is the inside you are worried about.
-Sandwriter