Staling
Hardening and loss of crumb freshness after baking, due mainly to starch recrystallisation (retrogradation).
From cooling onwards, the amylopectin of the starch reorganises and the crumb hardens, independently of drying out. Maltogenic amylases slow this down by partially cutting the starch chains; lipases and emulsifiers (mono- and diglycerides) act on the crumb matrix. Good staling control extends commercial shelf life without added preservatives.
See also
Have your flour analysed
Our laboratory measures the W, the P/L and the Falling Number of your flour and proposes a correction, with comparative trial baking.