Why You Shouldn't Just Cut The Mold Off Old Bread

Mold forms through millions of tiny fungi organisms in the air, settling on food surfaces and making food inedible. Slicing off the mold in some foods is okay, but this is not the case with bread.

Marianne Gravely from the U.S. Department of Agriculture explained in 2017 that since bread has a soft texture, the roots of the mold penetrate deeper. These roots are microscopic, and once mold is seen on the bread’s surface, it is completely inedible.

Gravely noted that mold can cause serious health problems, such as respiratory distress or allergic responses. Healthline also shares that mold spores on bread can become airborne, so sniffing a moldy loaf should be avoided.

Never give moldy bread to animals. To dispose of stale bread, wrap the moldy bread in a plastic or paper bag first to contain it inside, then throw it or wrap it in a paper bag and add it to the compost pile.

The best way to prevent mold on bread is to tightly wrap it in plastic with the air pressed out and store it in the refrigerator. Bread can also be tightly wrapped and stashed in the freezer for long-term storage.