Bread goes bad for a variety of reasons such as being exposed to the air which dries the bread out or even moisture or dampness such as heat and humidity which allows mold to grow in the bread.
The mold on bread is usually not dangerous but you can still get sick from the moldy bread.
However if you happened to eat a bit of moldy bread it's not likely to harm you but you may get a bad taste in your mouth or a stomach ache.
If just part of the bread is moldy you can simply remove the moldy part of the bread and eat the rest of the bread.
Bread can spoil even without mold.
Even if the bread is not moldy it can spoil and grow bacteria and may also turn stale.
Bread molds due to moisture and humidity.
The bread mold can grow easily due to moisture and humidity as moisture and humidify are what mold loves to grow in and thrive.
Wet bread molds more quickly than dry bread because mold thrives in damp environments.
If you did an experiment and tested one slice of dry bread and one dampened slice of the same bread, the dampened slice would grow mold much more quickly than the dry one.
Bread goes bad so quickly mostly because of heat and humidity which causes the bread to mold.
Heat, humidity and light are all bad for bread but great for fungi or mold.
Bread does freeze well if stored in the freezer properly.
Most bread freezes very well with little to no loss in quality or texture.
The enemy for frozen bread is freezer air, which can cause freezer burn and impart freezer-aroma flavors.
To prevent this, wrap each loaf of bread tightly in two layers of plastic wrap before placing it in a large resealable freezer bag.
The best way to keep bread fresh the longest is to freeze the bread.
However if you want to keep bread fresh for at least a few weeks or so then keeping it in a bread box or a dark non moist location is a good idea.
Refrigerating bread can also keep the bread from molding but it can also make the bread stale.
When refrigerated the bread lasts in the fridge for 5 to 7 days after expiration.
Although bread can become stale in the refrigerator but it's still safe to eat.
Bread does last longer if you put it in the refrigerator.
However by last longer this means that the bread does not mold as quick in the refrigerator but the bread does actually go stale much quicker in the refrigerator.
So it's not really a good idea to keep bread in the refrigerator.
It's best to avoid refrigerating bread as the refrigerator makes the bread go stale quicker.
You should not refrigerate bread as refrigerating bread makes the bread go stale faster.
Bread is best kept on the counter or in the pantry.
Bread Typically last about 7 days in the pantry although sometimes the bread may last a bit longer.
Bread goes bad quicker in damp locations.
Store bought bread has a shelf life of about 7 days in the pantry before it goes bad.
So it's best to eat the bread within 7 days and only buy enough bread that you can reasonably eat within 7 days.
Keep the bread stored in a cool dark place to help keep the bread from going bad and keep the bread sealed in the plastic bags they come in to prevent the bread from drying out.
It's also best to never refrigerate the bread as it can actually make the bread not last as long as it can cause the bread to dry out or become more soggy.
I always just keep the bread in the pantry and eat the bread within the 7 days and most times the bread I have is eaten well before 7 days so it's not usually a problem.
I only buy enough bread that I know we're gonna eat within that time and not buy too much.
Then I buy more bread when needed.