4 Ways To Extend The Shelf Life Of Your Bakery Products (2024)

Who doesn’t love the smell of freshly baked goods? The tantalizing smell wafting through the air, the anticipation of sinking your teeth into a soft loaf of bread or moist cake—it’s pure bliss! But let’s face it; baked goods don’t last long. So, if you’re looking to extend the life of your bakery products, here are some handy tips and tricks to keep your treats fresher for longer.

Keep Them Tightly Sealed

Alright, first things first—proper storage is key. Baked goods don’t last long if they are exposed to air, so you need to keep them airtight. If you are going to eat the goods in the next few days, then an airtight container will suffice. For bread, keep it cool and dry in a breathable bag or quality bread box. For cakes, cookies and muffins put them in an airtight container. For those delicate pastries, wrapping them individually in plastic wrap, or place them in airtight containers.

Use Oxygen Absorber Packets

If you really want to keep oxygen at bay and prolong the life of your baked goods, use oxygen absorber packets or CO2 pads. Both products work to remove the oxygen surrounding your bakery products, to prevent microbial growth and dry textures.

Freeze Don’t Refrigerate

While the freezer is your friend, steer clear of the fridge as it can make bread and other baked goods develop strange tastes and textures. The only exception are cream-based goods that contain dairy or eggs, as these need refrigeration to stay food safe. Freezing on the other hand is a great way to preserve bakery products and is effective for unfrosted cookies, muffins and most breads.



To freeze bread, slice it up and separate the slices with parchment paper to avoid clinginess, then pop them into freezer bags. For frosted cakes, give them a quick freeze to set the frosting and then wrap them up. And pastries? Freeze them up in airtight containers or freezer bags. Just make sure your bakery products are cooled first and aren’t crammed in. When it’s time to defrost, leave your baked goods in the fridge to thaw safely before consuming.

Use Natural Preservatives

Did you know certain ingredients can also boost the shelf life of baked goods? Honey is a natural preserver and just a touch of this natural sweetener in your bread dough or cake batter can ward of bacterial and mould growth and keep your bakery products fresher for longer. The same goes for cinnamon. This delicious spice has natural microbial properties, preventing mould and slowing staleness.

Looking For Fresh Bakery Products In Mackay?

Experience the freshly baked difference at Crusty’s Bakery! We utilise classic bakehouse recipes to produce fresh, delicious bread, mouth-watering cakes and piping hot pies and sausage rolls. We serve dour bakery products direct to the public and wholesale to local schools, cafés, corporate events, hotels, charities and clubs. If you’re yearning for traditional, freshly baked goods in Mackay, visit Crusty’s Bakery today.

4 Ways To Extend The Shelf Life Of Your Bakery Products (2024)

FAQs

4 Ways To Extend The Shelf Life Of Your Bakery Products? ›

To give the cake an optimal shelf life, pack the cake when it reaches max 30°C inside. That way, you avoid the drying out of the product which directly influences the texture of the cake. Packing below 30°C reduces condensation and delays microbial growth. Choose a hermetic packaging.

How do you extend the shelf life of a bakery product? ›

Advice for Bakers: 7 Ways to Extend Shelf Life
  1. Keep it in the Freezer. ...
  2. Keep it Tightly Sealed. ...
  3. Work Honey into the Recipe. ...
  4. Work Cinnamon into the Recipe. ...
  5. Add in a Bit of Pectin. ...
  6. Add an Enzyme. ...
  7. Why It's Important to Extend Shelf Life.
Apr 17, 2020

How do you extend the shelf life of a cake? ›

To give the cake an optimal shelf life, pack the cake when it reaches max 30°C inside. That way, you avoid the drying out of the product which directly influences the texture of the cake. Packing below 30°C reduces condensation and delays microbial growth. Choose a hermetic packaging.

What is used to extend the shelf life of bread? ›

Acidification is commonly used in breadmaking to preserve breads and on top, is one of the sourdough mechanisms that improves the shelf life of the baked goods. Adding 1% of vinegar on the flour weight is a natural way to acidify your dough, and thus your bread.

What keeps products baked goods moist and extends shelf life? ›

Hydrocolloids: can slow crumb moisture loss. When choosing hydrocolloids, keep in mind their capacity to make liquids dense. Also, their water holding capacity, hydration rate, and the effect of temperature on hydration. Enzymes: alpha-amylase, xylanase, and lipase have significant anti-staling effects.

How do you extend the shelf life of a product? ›

These methods are used alone or in combination to extend the normal biological life of foodstuffs and to grow your sales.
  1. Freeze Your Product.
  2. Heat Your Product.
  3. Drying.
  4. Use of Chemicals.
  5. Modifying Your Products Atmosphere.
  6. Product Irradiation.
Sep 13, 2021

How can I make my bakery last longer? ›

4 Ways To Extend The Shelf Life Of Your Bakery Products
  1. Keep Them Tightly Sealed.
  2. Use Oxygen Absorber Packets.
  3. Freeze Don't Refrigerate.
  4. Use Natural Preservatives.
Jun 5, 2023

What is the shelf life of bakery cake? ›

Similarly, a cake that is stored in a cool, dry place will last longer than a cake that is stored in a warm, humid environment. In general, most cakes will last 3-5 days when stored properly.

How do you make a cake last longer? ›

Store Cake for 1 to 3 Days At Room Temperature

If you're thinking of holding your cake for longer than that, you can leave it in the box and wrap the box with plastic wrap, which will keep the cake from drying out for up to three days. If your cake isn't in a box, an acrylic cake lid will come in handy.

How do you extend the shelf life of baking powder? ›

"If trying to store baking powder a bit longer, you could put the covered container in another air-tight container and freeze it," says Stankiewicz. "This can help extend the shelf life." This is because the freezer tends to be a dryer environment than the refrigerator, she explains.

How long do bakery items last? ›

Bakery or homemade cookies can be stored at room temperature two to three weeks or two months in the refrigerator. Cookies retain their quality when stored in the freezer for eight to 12 months. Moist bars, such as cheesecake and lemon bars, can be refrigerated for seven days.

How can bread last longer? ›

Wrapping bread in foil works, too, as it is airtight. If you have round bread with a crispy crust like a sourdough boule, you don't have to wrap it at all. Put it cut-side down on a clean kitchen counter and let its thick crust protect the interior. It will dry out somewhat, but less than you may expect.

What is the shelf life extension? ›

Shelf life-extending packaging can control respiration rate, ripening, and/or microbial growth. Longer shelf life enables extended seasonality, less food loss, and a higher chance of maintaining freshness. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) works to control the gases that surround an item.

How do bakeries keep cakes fresh? ›

For a bakery, a commercial refrigeration unit is non-negotiable. That's because if you're displaying a cake, it's likely already frosted. Without refrigeration, your frosting will melt and spoil, especially in a bakery with high customer traffic.

How to increase doughnut shelf life? ›

Use a sourdough starter: Sourdough donuts have a longer shelf life than regular donuts because the sourdough starter helps to preserve the dough. The natural acidity in the starter also inhibits the growth of mold and bacteria.

What is the best way to preserve baked goods? ›

Storing in the refrigerator can increase shelf-life by 2-3 weeks by reducing spoilage issues such as mold growth. All of these baked goods can be safely frozen indefinitely, but will start to suffer quality issues such as changes to flavor and texture if held frozen for longer than 2-3 months (cookies 6-12 months).

How can you extend the shelf life of fresh produce? ›

Store produce separately

Due to the different temperature requirements of each product and to maximize the shelf life of vegetables and fruits, it's recommended to avoid storing the produce together in one space.

What ingredient prolongs shelf life? ›

Common preservatives include salts, sugars, gelatin and vinegars; which are used to prevent bacteria growth. Additives, such as nisin and trisodium phosphate, may also be used to help preserve foods. Another type of food additive that helps with shelf stability, antioxidants, help to decrease oxidation in foods.

What gives products a longer shelf life? ›

Studies show that foods packaged with MAP technology have a shelf life two to five times longer than traditionally packaged foods. Packaging gases help extend product shelf life by slowing microbial, enzymatic and physical deterioration that otherwise occurs in air.

What do bakers put in bread to make it last longer? ›

Sorbic acid: This preservative is added to bread to inhibit the growth of molds, yeasts, and bacteria. Sodium benzoate: This preservative is added to bread to prevent the growth of yeasts and bacteria. Potassium sorbate: This preservative is added to bread to prevent the growth of molds, yeasts, and bacteria.

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