Have you ever found out the bluish/grey hairy spots on your bread? And do you know what that is? Is that toxic? And how to prevent it? Our article today will be more than an answer, digging into some more food microbiology.

How long the bread could be lasted?

The shelf life of bread kept at room temperature ranges from 3 to 4 days, but can vary depending on the ingredients, the type of bread, and the method of storage. After that time, the bread could be tough, hard and might be appear some strange spots on it which is called Mold.

Mold is a microscopic fungus that helps nature decompose dead organic material. Both mold and mildew are different types of fungus, but mold is usually shades of black, blue, red, and green, whereas mildew is white.

Is the moldy bread toxic for people's health?

Mold can pose a health risk. The fungi produce allergens (substances which can cause allergic reactions in some individuals). Inhaling or touching mold spores may provoke bodily reactions such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes and skin rash. Mold exposure can also irritate the eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs.

People are 40% more likely to have asthma when living in a damp or moldy home, according to the World Health Organization. In fact, a survey reported that 42% of asthma sufferers found mold to be a trigger.

Why bread gets moldy?

Actually, Mold only is grown under the suitable environment with right moisture and temperature for it.

Moisture

Also, even though it might not seem obvious, bread contains quite a bit of moisture. Even though the outside is dry after baking, moisture from the inside will travel outwards. The crust won’t get wet, but it will get noticeably softer. If bread is stored in a plastic bag you can see the moisture very well. The inside of the bag may get a little damp (especially with warmer weather). It’s these conditions that yeast really appreciate. The slightly moist environment is perfect for molds to grow. Storing a bag in a paper bag on the other hand will not create such a nice environment. The paper will simply let the water through. Bread dries out more easily in a paper bag, but chances of it getting moldy are also less!

Temperature

Most molds grow best between room temperature and 30-37 degrees Celsius. However, it does depend a bit on the type of mold. That said, storing you bread in a closed plastic bag on a hot summer day may result in molds more easily than on a cold winter day.

Oxygen in the package

Oxygen is one of the biggest cause of getting moldy and stale in food industry. It leads to oxidation and microorganism growth and finally the spoilage of food.

How to prevent the moldy growth?

There are the series of ways to protect bread from moldy growing.

1. Freeze your bread. After thawing it will taste like freshly baked bread.
2. Do not slice the bread yet. Slicing will speed up spoilage of the bread, not only will it dry out faster, it can also get moldy more easily, and the food is accessible more easily.
3. Eat it fast. You should buy it enough and use it as soon as possible.
4. Use oxygen absorber package. In case you want to store the bread, you better use oxygen absorber. Especially, Oxygen absorber doesn’t only prevent bread from staling, it will also prevent mold growth.

When you use oxygen absorber, you must assure that your package is completely seal and separated the bread from the oxygen outside.

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