Staling proceeds most rapidly at temperatures
just above freezing, and very slowly below
freezing. In one experiment, bread stored in
the refrigerator at 46ºF/7ºC staled as much in
one day as bread held at 86ºF/30ºC did in six
days. If you’re going to use bread in a day or
two, then store it at room temperature in a
breadbox or paper bag, which reduces
moisture loss while allowing the crust to
remain somewhat crisp. If you need to keep
bread for several days or more, then wrap it
well in plastic or foil and freeze it. Refrigerate
bread (well wrapped) only if you’re going to
toast or otherwise reheat it.
Bread Spoilage Compared to many foods,
bread contains relatively little water, and so it
often dries out before it becomes infected by
spoilage microbes. Keeping bread at room
temperature in a plastic bag allows moisture
from the staling starch granules to collect on
the bread surfaces and encourages the growth