How to keep bread and the shelf life of various types of bread in detail
Many friends still make their own The bread is kept in the refrigerator, so I deliberately take it out and nag it.
A very simple sentence: Refrigeration will accelerate the aging of starch in the bread, making the bread hard, rough and bad taste. The starch aging reaction is irreversible. Once the bread is “old”, it is impossible to regain its previous softness, even if the bread becomes softer again after reheating.
Today, let’s talk about the preservation method and shelf life of bread.
Bread has the shortest shelf life compared to most cookies and cakes. The deterioration of bread, generally hard and rough, moldy, rotten fillings, etc., is often the most common reason for the first: hard and rough, resulting in poor taste. The reason for this change is the aging of starch.
The aging reaction of starch starts from the moment the bread is out of the oven. At room temperature, the aging of the bread is relatively slow, and at a lower temperature, the aging reaction will be greatly accelerated. So, whenever possible, bread keeps best at room temperature. (However, some breads, such as cold-processed, seasoned breads, breads with perishable fruits, and whipped cream, sometimes have to be refrigerated at the expense of taste in order to prolong their shelf life.)
When freshly baked bread cools on a cooling rack to about palm temperature, put it in a large ziploc bag. Tie the opening of the plastic bag and keep it at room temperature.
Different breads have different shelf life. Let’s talk about them separately.
(Note 1: The shelf life mentioned below is all shelf life at room temperature. If you put it in the refrigerator to refrigerate , the shelf life of general bread will not exceed 1 day, because 1 day is enough to completely age the starch)
(Note 2: The shelf life is generally a period of time, such as 2-3 days, because according to room temperature , environmental differences and other reasons, the shelf life of bread may be different. Room temperature 18-25 degrees Celsius is the best temperature for bread preservation.)
1. Conditioning bread (such as meat floss ham bread, hot dog bun, hamburger, Corn ham salad bag) Shelf life: 1 day
The shelf life of this type of bread is the shortest, and the reason why this type of bread deteriorates quickly is not the aging of starch, but the filling (meat, vegetables) of corruption.
The heat-processed conditioned bread (that is, the meat in the bread is shaped together with the dough and placed in the oven for baking), even if it is refrigerated, the shelf life will not exceed one day (starch aging), And the taste is greatly sacrificed, so it can be stored at room temperature.
Cold-processed prepared bread (that is, the meat in the bread is sandwiched in after the bread has cooled, such as sandwich bread, some salad bread) must be refrigerated to have a 1-day shelf life, Shelf life at room temperature does not exceed 4 hours. If this type of bread is not eaten immediately, it is better to refrigerate it.
2. General sweet bread, toast bread (without filling) (such as creamy toast, Luosong sweet bread, fancy milk bread) Shelf life: 2-3 days
Sweet The shelf life of bread is relatively long. During the shelf life, the taste of the bread can basically be guaranteed not to change greatly, that is, the bread will still be relatively soft (provided that your bread is really ready)
3. Stuffed bread, stuffed toast (such as bean paste roll bread, ham and cheese toast) Shelf life: 2-3 days or 1 day
Although they all contain stuffing, they must be viewed separately. Bread with shelf-stable soft fillings (such as bean paste filling, coconut filling, lotus seed filling) can be stored for 2-3 days. Bread with meat fillings (such as chicken fillings) can only be stored for 1 day.
Fourth, Danish bread (such as croissants, Danish grape rolls) shelf life: 3-5 days
Danish bread has a longer shelf life. Note, however, that danishes with meat (such as tuna danishes) also have a shelf life of 1 day.
Five, crusty bread (such as baguette) Shelf life: 8 hours
The most attractive thing about crusty bread is its hard crust. But after it’s out of the oven, the moisture inside the bread will continue to seep to the outside, eventually causing the crust to absorb the moisture and become soft. Over 8 hours of crusty bread, the crust will be as hard to swallow as leather. Even re-baking, it is difficult to restore the taste of freshly baked. Note: The preservation of crusty bread cannot be placed in a plastic bag, but in a paper bag. (Thanks to blogger Xiaoping for providing)
6. The shelf life of bagel is 5-6 days.
The simple and unique bagel bread has a long shelf life. It should be noted that the concentration of syrup used for cooking bagels must be sufficient, otherwise the shelf life will be shortened.
7. Shelf life of heavy oil bread (such as raisin and almond bread): 1 week to half a month
Heavy oil bread has a long shelf life due to its high oil and sugar content. But be careful not to reduce oil and sugar at will when making, otherwise in addition to affecting the taste, the shelf life will not be so long.
How to prolong the shelf life of bread – frozen preservation method
Although low temperature will accelerate the aging of starch, when the temperature is lowered to below 0 degrees, the aging effect of starch will be greatly affected slowed down.
Therefore, after putting the bread in a fresh-keeping bag, put it in the freezer of the refrigerator and quickly freeze it to -18 degrees Celsius, which can prolong the shelf life of the bread. When you want to eat it, take it out, spray some water on the surface of the bread, re-bake and thaw (the oven temperature is 100-120 degrees, and the time varies depending on the size of the bread), or put it in the microwave to thaw and then bake it in the oven for a while. Just eat it.
Bread can be kept for about 2 weeks with the freezer preservation method. However, it must be noted that only unfilled breads are suitable for freezing, such as toast, croissants, crusty breads, etc.
Several Q&A about bread
Q: Why is my sweet bread hardened in less than a day even if it is kept at room temperature, it’s not that it has a shelf life of 2-3 God?
A: Bread must be made in the right way, and making high-quality bread is the premise that it can be stored for a long time. The dough should be kneaded sufficiently, the moisture content of the bread should not be too low, and the fermentation and baking should be correct, so as to make bread that will not change much in the taste within 2-3 days.
Q: Why do some toast breads and sweet breads bought in supermarkets have a shelf life of 5-7 days?
A: Commercially available bread generally contains preservatives (such as calcium propionate), which can prevent the bread from becoming moldy, and also contain bread improvers, which can improve the structure of the bread and delay the aging of the bread. Therefore, the shelf life of the bread can be extended by 3-4 days. Home-made artisan breads do not contain these additives, and their shelf life is naturally greatly shortened.
Q: Why is my bread sticky after two days?
A: Internal stickiness is also a characteristic of bread spoilage. To reduce the chance of this happening, the bread must be toasted through. Especially for toast bread, the temperature in the center of the bread can reach 80 degrees in the last few minutes of baking.
