I'm a food safety expert - this is why you should NEVER store bread in the fridge

A food safety expert has revealed why you should never keep bread in the fridge. 

Sarah Taylor, from High-Speed Training, has warned keeping your loaves cool could cause them to go stale.

She explained: 'You should never store your loaf in the fridge. 

'This is because the cold conditions inside the fridge will make the starch recrystallise, causing the bread to develop a stale taste and texture.'

She added: 'If you tend to go through your bread slowly, a better option is to freeze it - this keeps the loaf edible and prevents the spread of mould.'

For anyone looking to keep their bread fresher for longer periods,  Sarah recommended buying sliced bread - pointing out that mould takes longer to spread in comparison to a freshly-made loaf. 

'Your average supermarket bread tends to wave goodbye to freshness within a week, while those tantalising freshly baked loaves will go off even quicker - something to mull over when picking your bread,' she added.

However, if you do want to reap the health benefits of a fresh loaf, or enjoy making your own bread at home - there is no need to panic. 

Regardless of what you use to store your bread - whether it is kept in a bread bin or its original wrapping, she says you should always endeavour to store it in a cool, dry place.'

Giving another handy tip, she urged against the practice of sealing bread in plastic packaging in warm conditions

She elaborated: 'If the bread comes in plastic packaging, it may 'sweat' in warm environments, causing moisture to form inside the packaging.

'You should try to use a bread bin or breathable bag to avoid this, but if you have no other option, then storing the bread inside a cool, dry cupboard can help slow the process down.'

Her final tip to keep loaves fresher for longer is to keep them away from water at all costs - as this will rapidly increase mould development.

The food safety guru said: 'Moist, damp environments are the perfect conditions for causing mould spores to develop and spread quicker than they normally would, so slow this down by keeping the loaf as dry as possible.'