Why Does Stale Bread Turn Hard, But Stale Chips Turn Soft?
Staleness can be a state of mind. Jason Schneider In the science of staleness (yes, there is such a science), you have “crust staling” and “crumb staling.” Crust staling is the process by which the outside of a loaf of bread goes from crisp to soft. Crumb staling is when the inside turns hard. It’s easy to explain the first: Crust absorbs moisture from inside the loaf. Potato chips, which absorb moisture from the air, are all crust, so they completely soften. Crumb staling is more complicated. Over the years, food scientists have published hundreds of papers on the subject. Many have come to believe the process has to do with starch within the gluten structure. “Starch granules exude amylose during baking,” says Bill Atwell, professor of grain science at the University of Minnesota....