The New Complete Book of Food
Do not store fresh bread in the refrigerator; bread stales most quickly at temperatures
just above freezing. The one exception: In warm, humid weather, refrigerating bread slows
the growth of molds.When You Are Ready to Serve This Food
Use a serrated knife to cut bread easily.What Happens When You Cook This Food
Toasting is a chemical process that caramelizes sugars and amino acids (proteins) on the
surface of the bread, turning the bread a golden brown. This chemical reaction, known
both as the browning reaction and the Maillard reaction (after the French chemist who first
identified it), alters the structure of the surface sugars, starches, and amino acids. The sugars
become indigestible food fiber; the amino acids break into smaller fragments that are no
longer nutritionally useful. Thus toast has more fiber and less protein than plain bread. How-
ever, the role of heat-generated fibers in the human diet is poorly understood. Some experts
consider them inert and harmless; others believe they may be hazardous.How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food
Freezing. Frozen bread releases moisture that collects inside the paper, foil, or plastic bag in
which it is wrapped. If you unwrap the bread before defrosting it, the moisture will be lost
and the bread will be dry. Always defrost bread in its wrappings so that it can reabsorb the
moisture that keeps it tasting fresh.
Drying. Since molds require moisture, the less moisture a food contains, the less likely it is
support mold growth. That is why bread crumbs and Melba toast, which are relatively mois-
ture-free, keep better than fresh bread. Both can be ground fine and used as a toasty-flavored
thickener in place of flour or cornstarch.Medical Uses and/or Benefits
A lower risk of some kinds of cancer. In 1998, scientists at Wayne State University in Detroit
conducted a meta-analysis of data from more than 30 well-designed animal studies mea-
suring the anti-cancer effects of wheat bran, the part of grain with highest amount of the
insoluble dietary fibers cellulose and lignin. They found a 32 percent reduction in the risk
of colon cancer among animals fed wheat bran; now they plan to conduct a similar meta-
analysis of human studies. Breads made with whole grain wheat are a good source of wheat
bran. NOTE: The amount of fiber per serving listed on a food package label shows the total
amount of fiber (insoluble and soluble).