Many Florida residents have faced this problem. They buy a new loaf of bread from the store and have to determine the best storage method to keep it fresh.
But it turns out that some methods may be better than others.
To figure this out, it’s important to note that mold growth hinges on two primary factors: moisture and temperature.
With fresh bread containing plenty of moisture, it’s only a matter of time until spots start to form. And thanks to the higher levels of humidity in Florida, that time can be cut down even further.
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According to the USDA, there’s a good rule of thumb for how long commercially baked breads and rolls should be stored.
At room temperature: 2-4 days
In the refrigerator: 7-14 days
In the freezer: Up to three months
As such, if you’re planning to go through your loaf relatively quickly, it may be safe to leave it in a cool, dry pantry or bread box. If not, it’s probably better to refrigerate it.
On the other hand, refrigerating your bread may be a worse option if you’re concerned about keeping the bread’s quality, as the cold temperatures can cause the starch to recrystallize and lose moisture, a recent report by Southern Living notes.
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In short: it’s best to store your bread at room temperature unless you need to to keep it around longer.
What about freezing my bread?
If you want to keep your bread fresh even longer than a couple of weeks, you can largely keep the quality by sticking the loaf in the freezer.
However, Southern Living provides a couple of suggestions to optimize this method:
Wrap each loaf in plastic wrap, removing as much air as possible.
Wrap the bread again with a layer of aluminum foil before placing it in the freezer.
That being said, if you do happen to come across any slices of bread with a bit of mold, don’t just trim around the spoiled part. Because bread is porous, mold roots can easily stretch beyond what’s visible, so it’s better to assume the whole piece is hazardous.
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