Hi,
I'm just getting started with sourdough baking. Can I ask what the maximum shelf life of sourdough bread is? I am planning a trip away and simply wanted to know how long it would last without have to freeze/thaw.
Thanks for any help, and love the site,
Debdough :)
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Replies
Hi debdough,
Welcome to the sourdough community. I am new myself to sourdough baking myself, having been converted since November last year.
From what I know, the main cause of bread spoiling is the growth of moulds(fungus). And growth of mould is facilitated by the presence of water and food(the carbohydrate in the bread in this case).
So how fast the bread spoils depends on the water content of the baked bread, atmospheric humidity, the ambient temperature, how the bread has been handled, the presence of preservatives and how the bread has been stored.
In short, it pays to store the bread in a cool, dry place. Most well baked sourdough breads should last for a few days, if not a week without freezing. Mine doeesn't last a week though. They get eaten quite quickly!
Hope this helps.
Happy baking!
Occabeka
On my last 2 bakes I had bread that I kept in a plastic bag on my kitchen for a week and it did not mold, the only thing is that it becomes dry, but I agree with Occabeka that if your bread is very moist it probably will not last as long.
My bake.
My sourdough wheat breads will last over a week without molding. Now if it were sourdough rye then I have read that they can last up to three weeks.
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I store mine in a paper bag inside a plastic bag. The paper bag usually keeps the moisture from causing too much mold and the paper bag keeps it fresh. Mine usually lasts about 2-3 weeks outside like that and then over a month inside the refrigerator.
Have a good trip!