2 Jul 2025
Freshness is one of the first things consumers notice when purchasing baked goods. Whether it’s the soft texture, the aroma, or the crust, that initial sensory experience shapes how they feel about quality, and whether they’ll come back for more. With fewer shopping trips and less time spent in stores, many are choosing to stock up on baked goods, and increasingly turning to packaged options for added peace of mind.
When soft bakery products go stale too quickly, the effects ripple beyond disappointment at the table. In the UK alone, more than 900,000 tonnes of bread are wasted every year, much of it due to early staling or spoilage. That’s a challenge for bakeries and food manufacturers under growing pressure to improve shelf life, without relying on artificial preservatives. And, without changing the recipes and flavors they’re known for.
This article explores how baking techniques, ingredient choices, and packaging innovations can naturally extend the freshness of sweet soft bakery products. Together, these strategies enhance consumer satisfaction while supporting more efficient, low-waste production in your business.
Why do baked goods go stale, and how to prevent it?
Baked goods stale for three main reasons: moisture loss and starch retrogradation. These processes begin almost immediately after baking, and they’re a major cause of food waste and quality loss.
Over time, moisture migrates from the crumb to the crust and eventually into the air, leaving the sweet treat dry. At the same time, starch molecules begin to recrystallize in a process called retrogradation, which firms up the crumb. Interestingly, this process happens faster at colder temperatures than at room temperature. While fridge temperature helps to slow down mould growth, it accelerates staling which is why storing bread or soft baked goods in the fridge will often not extend their freshness.
Mold is also a common culprit, especially in soft breads with high water activity.
Understanding water activity in sweet soft bakery products
Sweet soft baked goods, like donuts, brioche, and filled buns, are especially prone to spoilage due to their low water activity, high moisture and sugar content, compared to items like toast breads for example. This makes water activity (Aw) a critical factor in shelf life.
Water activity refers to the energy status of water in a product. The higher the Aw, the more susceptible a product is to microbial growth, mold, and texture changes. Many sweet baked items have an Aw above 0.85, putting them in a risk zone for spoilage, especially if not properly packaged.
Even more, moisture migration between components (like glazes, fillings, and the crumb) can lead to soggy textures or dryness. Matching Aw between components is key to stability.
Smart baking strategies to extend freshness
Before packaging or storage even comes into play, the way baked goods are made has a major impact on how long they stay fresh. Recipe formulation, fermentation, cooling, and even fat selection all influence how quickly a baked good dries out, firms up, or molds. The good news? There are smart, proven baking strategies that can extend shelf life.
Target starch retrogradation with enzymes
Starch retrogradation is one of the main causes of staling, leading to crumb firming and loss of freshness. Enzymes can slow this process by breaking down starch into smaller dextrins, which help retain moisture for longer. Puratos offers innovative bakery solutions that help maintain the freshness of bakery products for a longer period.
Don’t forget the glaze
A good glaze does more than add shine, it enhances visual appeal, improves mouthfeel, and can even help preserve moisture. However, the wrong glaze can stick to packaging or break down over shelf life.
Choose the right fillings
When it comes to filled sweet soft bakery products, the filling can make or break your freshness goals. The wrong filling may cause the crumb to dry out, or lead to unwanted sogginess over time. Cream, fruit, or chocolate fillings from our range are developed to help preserve softness and moisture throughout the product’s life cycle.
For optimal results in long shelf life applications, selecting fillings with low water activity is key. Our specialized product ranges are designed to meet a variety of needs while ensuring freshness, texture, and stability over time.
Cooling matters more than you think
Gradual, controlled cooling is essential for stabilizing the crumb structure and minimizing moisture loss. Research shows that getting this step right can significantly improve overall product stability. While it might seem like a small detail, fine-tuning your post-bake handling can make a real difference in maintaining freshness.
Packaging that keeps baked goods fresher, longer
Unlike crusty or lean breads, sweet soft goods, especially those with glazes or fillings, require more nuanced packaging solutions. As previously mentioned, these products are sensitive to condensation, microbial spoilage, and moisture migration.
To protect product quality and safety, ensure baked goods are packed once they've reached a core temperature of 35°C (95°F), and always apply good hygiene practices throughout cooling and packaging.
Many bakeries are adopting newer packaging formats designed for performance and appeal:
- Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP): Replaces oxygen inside the package with carbon dioxide or nitrogen to slow microbial growth.
- Active packaging: Uses films infused with natural antimicrobials (e.g. essential oils or sorbates) to reduce spoilage.
- Vacuum packaging: Eliminates oxygen completely, helping prevent mold, but may slightly alter texture in very soft breads.
- Biodegradable films: Provide similar moisture and oxygen control to plastic films, while meeting growing demand for sustainable packaging options.
In today’s market, freshness isn’t optional, it’s a competitive advantage. With the right baking and packaging strategies, sweet bakery products like donuts, buns, and brioche can delight customers long after they leave the oven.
Whether you're optimizing for softness, shelf life, or sustainability, Puratos offers the expertise and ingredients to help you do it better, and naturally. Contact your local Puratos representative to explore custom solutions that fit your product, process, and goals.
Looking for strategies focused on bread instead? Read our guide to making and packing bread that stays fresh longer.
REFERENCES:
Asahi Packaging: Can vacuum packing and freezing preserve the quality of the bread?
Masterclass: How Long Does Bread Last? 4 Stages of Bread Freshness
Neutec Group: The Shelf Life of Bakery Products Simplified with Water Activity
Puratos: Carat
Puratos: Harmony
Puratos: How to extend the shelf life of bread
Puratos: How to make and pack crusty laminated pastry that stays fresh longer
Puratos: Mimetic
Puratos: Puraslim
Puratos: Soft’r
Puratos: Cremfil Ultim
Puratos: Soft'r Melting
Puratos: Sunset Glaze
Puratos: Vivafil
Science Direct: Packaging to prolong shelf life of preservative-free white bread
The Perfect Loaf: The Best Way to Store Bread
