| Is it true to store bread in the refrigerator?
“Some prefers to keep bread at room temperature, but some says that bread should be stored in the refrigerator. Which is better?”
Avoid storing bread in a refrigerator. The average temperature of most domestic refrigerators is about 4- 5°C. This is the temperature at which bread stales most quickly. One day in the refrigerator is equivalent to three days at room temperature. Bread will stale and go mouldy.
Staling: When a loaf stales, the crust starts to become leathery while the inside loses its softness. These changes can be temporarily reversed by warming in an oven or by toasting. Staling can occur either when the bread dries out through evaporation or when cooked starch molecules in the bread cool and form a crystalline structure. Crystallization forces water out of the starch molecules and causes the bread to become more firm in texture. We think of staling as being a loss of water when in fact, the water content may still be the same, just no longer trapped by starch molecules. The cooler temperature of the fridge increases the speed at which crystallization occurs.
Mould: Newly baked bread is free from mould. However, mould spores, which are always present in the air, can fall on the crust and mould may develop, particularly in warm/moist conditions.
At home, fresh bread will stay fresh longer if it is held at room temperature. Staling will be slowed or halted by keeping bread in the freezer. Bread stales the quickest in the refrigerator. So, why do many people store their bread in the refrigerator?
A warmer temperature will keep bread fresh longer, but it also causes bread to mold faster. Refrigerator temperatures slow the growth of mold and freezer temperatures will stop mold growth. References
http://www.alaska.edu/uaf/ces/hhfd/faq.xml
http://www.bakersfederation.org.uk/publications/Fs18%20-%20Keeping%20bread%20fresh.pdf
http://www.alaska.edu/uaf/ces/hhfd/faq.xml#breadmold
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