The Fresh Loaf

News & Information for Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts

How is this possible?

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bread basket's picture
bread basket

How is this possible?

My hubby bought this this bread about end of March 2013 with best by date April 21. (sometimes he is home sick after the good old American store bought bread). He did not finish it because he did not like it . There were still some pieces left in the bag. After a few weeks I wondered because the bread still looked and felt the same so I decided to leave it so we would see what would happen. The closed bag with the bread in it sat all summer in my hot kitchen (no AC) .There was and still is not any change in the bread (it is now Dec.)!

As you see it is labeled as no artificial Colors, flavors or Preservatives and No High Fructose Corn Syrup.

Ingredients: whole Wheat Flour, water, sugar, wheat gluten, cultured wheat flour, molasses , salt, soybean oil, wheat bran , datem, monoglycerides, calcium sulfate, citric acid, grain vinegar, soy lecithin, potassium iodate, soy flour.

I always tease him because he really gets a lot more! for his money than with my bread (flour, water, salt and yeast).

So how is this possible???


MisterTT's picture

If the bag was perforated surely it should have dried? If the bag is tightly sealed it should have molded. Maybe someone with more chemistry knowledge will pop in and enlighten us, because half of the ingredients don't mean much to me.

However, I remember when I still used to buy the occasional loaf from time to time and let it sit for say about a week in my kitchen it would mold if the bag was closed. Wasn't artisan bread or anything either, just generic supermarket bread. There were less ingredients I guess.

bread basket's picture
bread basket

the bag is not perforated but tightly seales. Maybe a dooms dayer would call it survival food :) because it stays and stays and stays......


hanseata's picture

If this had, as claimed, no preservatives, and didn't mold after a few days in a closed bag at room temperature, I would call it a miracle. Or did it simply mummify?

It would be very interesting what laboratory tests would reveal.



Les Nightingill's picture
Les Nightingill

it doesn't claim "no preservatives", it claims "no artificial preservatives". It's a critical distinction.

christinepi's picture

Citric acid is a weak organic acid with the formula C6H8O7. It is a natural preservative/conservative and is also used to add an acidic or sour taste to foods and drinks. In biochemistry, the conjugate base of citric acid, citrate, is important as an intermediate in the citric acid cycle, which occurs in the metabolism of all aerobic organisms. It consists of 3 carboxyl (R-COOH) groups.


Stoertebeker's picture

It is downright disgusting!  Even mold dislikes this object. I don't know if you could call it food.


I dislike store bought Tortenboden for the same reason.

adri's picture

Tortenboden = pastry base

Not even mold likes it ;)

Liebe Grüße

mini_maggie's picture

"Even mold dislikes this object."  LMAO!!!

Antilope's picture

These type of bakeries try to make a loaf of bread as cheap as possible, with the cheapest ingredients possible and give it as long a shelf life as possible. They try to say all of the "right" things on the label to snag the maximum customers possible. For the maximum profit possible. Nothing about it says good bread.

People on The Fresh Loaf do just the opposite, use the best ingredients, usually no matter the cost, and try to make the best bread possible.

It's like comparing day and night.

abrock_ca's picture

I wonder how it tastes?

have you checked to see if it's still soft? still edible? That IS pretty amazing, and I'll have to go for that brand post-apocalypse...but even in the frig, not sure I've had a store-bought bread go that long.

MisterTT's picture

I've had a storebought 100% rye keep for a few months with no problems, would have probably kept longer. Wasn't a bakery or artisan loaf either, just generic rye from the store. It must have had some conservatives, but it was one of the more expensive loaves and the ingredient list wasn't too bad.

occidental's picture

When I do occasion to buy store bread I usually have a leftover bun or few pieces of bread.  I usually keep it around to see what happens and it's rare that anything does.  Over the past summer I kept a few pieces of Dave's Killer Bread for a couple months and finally gave up on them molding and threw them out.  Makes you appreciate homemade bread all the more.

ElPanadero's picture

Just iterates how "unreal" or how "synthetic" store/supermarket bread can be.  It's so very unnatural.  Sadly our world is ruled and governed by crooks via huge corporations who are able to establish the state laws as needed.  Hence we have stupidly irresponsible and downright misleading labelling which the laws actually permit.  Just look at the GM food fiasco and the labelling that comes with it !   Humans are being used as guinea pigs there with no doubt awful consequences.

Bread = flour, water, salt and yeast or combinations thereof.

Anything else is not bread.  By all means make such a product, by all means advertise such a product but let's have honest and true labelling which would require it be listed as artificial synthetic chemical ridden and unhealthy produce !!

I was told of a friend who works in a supermarket and as such gets very significant staff discounts on store produce.  Despite this he absolutely refuses to buy and eat store bread because he knows what is in it.  If the general population really understood the ingrediants they would avoid it too I would guess !

Why would your hubby eat that bread if you make your own?  Madness !