March 20, 2008

OREOS VS. BREAD

If you leave a package of Oreo cookies sitting out, they will get stale and soft.

If you leave a slice of bread sitting out, it will get stale and hard.

Why?

I would think that both of these baked goods would end up with moisture contents related to the household's internal humidity, and thus end up with similar degrees of pliability.

Scientists and/or bakers, please explain.

Posted by: Harvey at 05:45 PM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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1 The Staleness Gnomes are whimsical and capricious, and should never be challenged! Their wrath is fearsome and terrible to behold! If I had to venture a guess, I'd say it has to do with the specific densities of each item causing the discrepancy. Oreo cookies are a denser bread than bread, so, absorbs more water vapor, while bread, being less dense, actually loses moisture. But, that's about two steps below a WAG.

Posted by: the Humble Devildog at March 20, 2008 07:28 PM (TL8Kz)

2 I think it probably has something to do with the amount of fat, specifically saturated fat (which stays liquid at room temperature) in each. With the Oreos, the just get soggy with their fat. but they are still good. This is all just a guess. :-D

Posted by: tommy at March 21, 2008 06:08 AM (Ffmbd)

3 It's the sugar. Sugar is hygroscopic. It absorbs water. Starch (bread) is not. Starch in bread causes it to lose moisture, the sugar in Oreos causes them to absorb moisture.

Posted by: Phelps at March 21, 2008 11:11 AM (F1XeB)

4 Happy Easter!

Posted by: vw bug at March 23, 2008 07:32 AM (FPOeI)

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