Like all other food, every type of bread has an expiration date. When bread goes bad, it will grow mold, have an unpleasant odor, strange taste, and hard texture. These signs affect bread safety and indicate that bread isn’t good to use. How long does it take for bread to mold and go bad?
How long does it take for bread to mold depends on the ingredients used and storage method – it is more likely that bread will mold if kept in a warm and moist surrounding. Usually, it will take 7 to 10 days to see mold growth on bread.
Factors that affect mold growth in bread are acidity levels, moisture, climate, and used preservatives. Remember that homemade bread grows mold faster than store-bought bread, which lasts longer. You’ll see mold spores on a homemade piece of bread after five days.
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Can bread go moldy a day?
No, bread cannot go moldy in a day, but it can go stale. This is a common misconception. Many people make the same mistake, storing bread in the refrigerator to prolong its freshness. Only one day in the fridge will make fresh bread go stale. It will prevent molding, but it will reduce the shelf-life of your bread.
How long does it take for bread to mold in the refrigerator?
Bread will inevitably go bad in the refrigerator. It will dry out in a day and get stale, and after it gets unusable, it will grow mold and germs. Bread bought in the store will last 7 to 12 days in the refrigerator, while bread made at home can last 5 to 8 days. For the best quality of your bread, avoid keeping it refrigerated. Use it fresh or put it in a freezer if you want to preserve it later.
How long does it take for bread to mold at room temperature?
Fresh bread will mold sooner at room temperature than in the fridge. Store-bought bread will last 5 to 7 days, while homemade will last 3 to 5 days, keeping its best quality. When will mold occur – it’s hard to say, but roughly it will take two weeks for bread to get moldy, depending on temperature and moisture level.
How long does it take for bread to go bad in the pantry?
Most types of store-bought bread (whole grain, multi-grain, and white bread) will last 5 to 7 days in the pantry, while homemade loaves have a shorter shelf-life – up to 5 days. After this period, the bread will get stale. It will probably be safe to eat for another couple of days, but it won’t be of its best quality.
Many people think that keeping bread in the pantry at room temperature prolongs its shelf-life, especially when wrapped in plastic foil. Keeping bread in plastic encourages bread to mold, and it doesn’t go well much faster.
| Type of bread | Kept in the fridge | Kept at room temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Homemade bread | 5 to 8 days | 3 to 5 days |
| Store-bought bread | 7 to 12 days | 5 to 7 days |
What makes bread mold?
Tiny spores float in the air all around us. Those spores from the air land on everything around us, including bread, and at first, they are invisible, but then they multiply, causing the bread to mold. Mold likes dark and humid places – for its growth, moisture, warmth, and good is necessary. How fast will mold spread depends on a few factors:
- Acidity of bread – Most types of bread are between 6.5 and 7.5 pH. pH 7 level is considered to be neutral. All above is high acidity, and all beneath is low. High acidity type of bread will mold much slower.
- Moisture level of bread – Mold enjoys damp environments and needs moisture, and that’s the reason wet type of bread will get moldy faster than dry one.
- Preservatives used in bread – Preservatives used in bread production increase acidity of bread and prevent mold. More preservatives, bread will slower grow mold.
- Environmental conditions – Mold thrives in warm and dark places. If you put a piece of bread in the refrigerator and other in the kitchen cabinet, second one will get moldy faster.
Does bread grow mold quicker in the dark or light?
Mold thrives in the dark. Unlike plants which need light for photosynthesis, mold doesn’t use light to generate energy. Light affects it negatively – it can slow its growth and kill it.
Does bread go bad faster in the fridge?
No. The cold environment of the refrigerator will prevent mold, but it will make a loaf of bread go stale faster.
Does bread mold quicker in a bread box?
Bread box won’t make your bread last longer. Keeping in a bread box will give it the same shelf-life as if you kept it on the kitchen counter. Every bread will mold eventually, and how long it takes to mold will depend on the factors we named above.
Does mold grow in the cold?
Mold grows faster in warm environments. The ideal temperatures for mold formations to thrive are between 77 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Cold temperatures could make mold grow less efficiently.
Does bread mold faster in a plastic bag?
Yes, mold will grow faster if you seal bread is in a plastic bag. The sealed plastic bag will trap moisture and make a damp environment, ideal for mold spread.
Which breads mold the fastest?
The most popular types of bread in the USA are white bread and multi-grain bread. Organic white bread contains fewer preservatives than non-organic white bread, making it molding faster.
Bread bought in the store will last longer and mold slower than bread made at home cause it contains fewer preservatives. Also, moist loaves of bread, such as banana or raisin bread, will spread mold faster since they are damp.
Does wet bread mold faster?
Yes. As we mentioned above, mold formations need moisture for the spreading process.
If you do a little experiment and take one dry slice and one wet slice of fresh bread, you’ll see that soggy bread will spread mold quicker.
The same goes for a humid environment, such as a sealed plastic bag.
Which bread molds faster wheat or white?
Fresh white bread, especially organic white bread, will develop mold sooner than wheat bread due to its lower preservative content.
Can you eat bread that’s starting to mold?
It’s not big news that people eat food with mold on it, but how about bread starting to mold? Can it be eaten, like gorgonzola cheese? Food safety experts say that you shouldn’t consume a loaf of bread with mold dots. Mold formations aren’t the same as on cheese, where they enhance flavor and serve as a source of fiber.
Spores of mold expand quickly thru bread, and you might not see them all, even if they are present.
Eating bread after its shelf-life can affect your health – you could experience some health issues, such as respiratory problems, especially if you have a mold allergy.
What if you accidentally eat moldy bread?
If you accidentally eat a slice or two of the loaf with mold formations, don’t panic. Calm down and throw the rest of the loaf away. You probably won’t experience any adverse symptoms, especially if you’re not allergic to mold, but that doesn’t mean you should be eating moldy bread on purpose.
Should I make myself throw up if I ate moldy bread?
No, you don’t need to force yourself to throw up just because you ingested some mold. Just throw the rest of the loaf away, and don’t worry. Yes, mold has an awful taste, and if you wish to throw up, that is understandable, but your stomach will digest mold with all other food you eat.
Can you eat 3-month-old bread?
Yes, you can eat loaves of old bread for three months or more, but only if you store them in the freezer. In other cases, when you keep bread in a room temperature environment, you can eat it 5 to 7 days after its shelf-life.
Where should bread be stored in the kitchen?
Store bread in a cool and dry area of your kitchen. You can choose one of the following places:
- Kitchen counter
- Bread box
- Bread drawer of the cupboard or in the pantry
- Airtight container
- Freezer
Should you store bread in the fridge?
No, it would be best never to store your bread in the refrigerator. Starch molecules will recrystallize very quickly when exposed to cold refrigerator air. That will make bread go stale fast. Bread won’t grow mold formations, but freezing will ruin its taste and texture.
How can you tell if bread is bad?
When bread goes bad, you’ll notice visible signs – bread will get moldy. Mold spores absorb nutrients in bread, leaving fuzzy places that vary in color. Bread will also get an unpleasant smell, it will have a strange taste, and its texture will change and become hard.
What color is bread mold?
Mold on the bread can have different colors – it can be green (and primarily green), but it can also be black, white, bluish, or even pink!
Are white spots on bread mold?
White spots can, but they don’t have to be mold. Sometimes white spots you see on baked loaf are flour. If your bread is soft and smells good, you can eat it. If white spots are fuzzy, that means a process of mold forming has begun – do not eat that bread.
Is mold on the bread alive?
Mold grows on bread, a living organism that needs air, nutrients, and humidity to grow. Mold is a type of fungi and not a plant, but it is still alive.
Is mold on the bread actually penicillin?
No. Fungus that grows on bread is similar to penicillin fungus, but they are different. Mold on the bread has antibacterial properties, but they are not penicillin. Medicine uses penicillium mold to produce penicillin, a powerful antibiotic.
Can you cut off mold and eat the rest of the bread?
No, we wouldn’t recommend you to do that. Bread is soft, and mold spores can be all over it, only not visible. While you cut visible parts that contain mold, some features can still be invisible to the naked eye. Eating bread that has gone bad is not recommendable. Throw it away and buy or make a new one.
Citations:
- https://firstlawcomic.com/how-long-does-it-take-for-bread-to-develop-mold/
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-long-does-bread-last
- https://www.howlongdoes.com/food/how-long-does-it-take-for-bread-to-mold/
