Our bag of bread smells a lot like alcohol....?

Question

And there are still two more days until the sell by date on the bag. Why does it smell so much like alcohol? What can I do to not have this happen?

I don't think the bread is bad. It just smells a lot. And that too like alcohol.

So, is there really alcohol in the bread when it smells like that. Because my dad has diabetes and he's not supposed to drink alcohol since it interacts with his medications. And today he ate bread for breakfast and took his medications along with his breakfast.

So, is there really alcohol in the bread when it smells like that. Because my dad has diabetes and he's not supposed to drink alcohol since it interacts with his medications. And today he ate bread for breakfast and took his medications along with his breakfast.

Answer 1

It sounds to me that you have your bread in a very warm place. You may want to keep it in the refrigerator or some other cool place.

Ethanol (an alcohol gas) is produced by yeast and sugar. Usually the yeast is killed in the baking process. Sometimes, however, a yeast-like mold invades the bread and creates that smell.

Your bread is indeed going bad, it just hasn't reached the stage where you can actually see the mold. If it is in a plastic bag the smell is kept inside and cannot dissipate. This is reinforced by the fact your bread has only two more days to go until it's expiration date. You will probably see the mold by that time. Milk does the same thing.

Science can pretty well predict to the day when something will go "bad". By that I mean, be dangerous to the consumer. However, people like your dad (who has diabetes) are susceptible to illness because their systems are weakened or compromised by metobolic differences. You are correct in that he should not be ingesting alcohol and the bread may or may not affect him in a negative way. It will certainly have an affect on his diabetes.

To keep this from happening in the future, check the expiration date on the bread before you buy it. If you will have it on hand for a long time, freeze most of it and keep the rest in the fridge.

Answer 2

Bread Smells Like Alcohol

Answer 3

If bread is stored in a warm place (even like your table on a summer day), it CAN go bad before the expiration date. During the summer, my bread only lasts a day or two if I don't put it in the fridge. Fermentation is taking place, so it won't taste so good. There may be moisture in the bag. Bread will last a few weeks if you store it in the refrigerator, or longer in the freezer. Some speciality breads have no preservatives, so they should be stored this way to last more than a day. BTW, I find my milk can go bad a day or two before the date, too. Use your senses.

Answer 4

Yes, your bread could already be beginning to spoil, no matter how far off the expiration date is.

But keep in mind: when yeast causes bread to rise, the yeast is producing carbon dioxide as well as alcohol, as by-products. Both things contribute to the appearance AND the taste of the finished product. For most breads--especially artisan breads--it's the alcohol that produces the signature flavor.

When the bread is baked, the yeast dies, and stops functioning. But the results of the yeast remain.

Answer 5

Your bread IS not going bad. I used to work as a bakers help and there is NO sugar in bread to act on yeast. But brewers yeast is used in factory or old store bakeries because of balk yeast. When the flour,yeast,eggs(some breads) water are combined and mixed,Then formed, dough is left to ferment and rise. Then the dough is made to what it will be then chilled for 8 hours or less. In the time alloted the breads are then proofed, (steam heated on low) this allows the bread to form bubbles in the bread after kneeding. Then Baked. the Grain alcohol you smell after time is the yeast working on the starches in the bubbles of the bread. As in making grain alcohol, The mains are Grain, Yeast, Sugar. The sugar just speeds up the proses of yeast action on the grain itself. With the grain as a final taste. Brown sugar and yeast make a poor mans rum. Add a grain and the outcome is different.

Answer 6

it contains yeast the same as beer. If you leave it out in the heat the yeast continues to break down the sugar in the bread and then gives off alcohol as a by product. Throw it in the refridgerator and it stops

Answer 7

that smell is the side effect of yeast, there is nothing wrong unless it is green and fussy, the best way to prevent this and to keep it longer than the posted date on the bag is to refrigerate your bread or even freeze it if you want it to go longer.with that smell the yeast is fermenting releasing alcohol and hydrogen both are great preservatives.

Answer 8

the yeast in it is fermenting, and will turn into alcohol if left long enough. Prison inmates are notorious for using bread to make alcoholic beverages. If you store your bread in the refrigerator, it will last longer

Answer 9

The yeast is used to give the bread volume, and make the bread rise. I think you already knew that.

Answer 10

yeast is giving it the smell. storing bread in the fridge cuts the smell because it is too cool for the yeast to become active