My bread smells like alcohol, can I eat it?
In this brief guide we will address the question, “my bread smells like alcohol, can I eat it? as well as other questions about the subject at hand like how to tell if your bread has gone bad and how you can get rid of the alcohol smell.
My bread smells like alcohol, can I eat it?
Yes, bread that smells like alcohol is safe to eat and does not mean it has gone bad. The alcoholic smell is usually just due to the over fermentation. The yeast in the bread utilizes the starch molecules and converts them into carbon dioxide and alcohol. This is a process known as fermentation in which sugars are converted into gas and an alcoholic substance.
And yeast is an ingredient capable of fermentation. Bread is a fermented product. The critical step is the proofing time and the addition of yeast to the bread, which gives it a smooth, rich taste and a nice texture. Any change in the ratio of ingredients or any deviation will inevitably result in a change in the taste, texture, or aroma of the finished product.
The smell of alcohol, or some people perceive it as that of a nail polish remover, or acetone (which is vinegar in its true sense) is all because of the same process of fermentation. The quantity of yeast and proofing time is what precisely determines the degree of fermentation in the bread-making process. If you give it too much proofing time or add more yeast than required, you might be putting your bread at the risk of smelling like alcohol or over fermenting it, resulting in an unevenly risen dough or worse!
Keep in mind that the bread is safe to eat as long as you are sure that all the ingredients added are not contaminated with any other commodity. The smell of alcohol can also be observed if you let your bread stay out in the open for too long. Remember that fermentation is a process and it needs adequate environmental conditions to take place. When you put your bread out in the open, you are putting it at a greater risk of fermentation, because increased temperature supports the fermentation process.
Just like when you baked your bread during the initial preparation where you were allowing the fermentation to take place, you could again be unconsciously promoting the process when you put it out in the open.
Why does my bread dough smell like alcohol?
There are two reasons why bread dough smells like alcohol
- Over fermentation
- Adding too much yeast
It is important to note that fermentation is a natural process and the smell of alcohol vanishes when the bread is baked. It only smells like alcohol because of the fermentation process, but it is perfectly safe to consume such bread.
Why does my bread smell like alcohol?
Sometimes, bread smells like alcohol when its dough is over-fermented and sugars get converted into alcohol or because of residues of it after the bake-off.
What can you do about the smell?
There are various factors that you need to keep in mind if your bread has developed this smell. Let’s start with simpler ones first, so we can take care of them one by one.
Yeast and overproof
You might have simply added too much yeast during the preparation. To avoid this negligence, always follow a recipe that you know of. You can get a lot of bread-making recipes according to your taste online, and most of them are very detailed and accurate. As mentioned before, another reason is giving the bread too much proofing time. Again, following the recipe is the best approach. If you are still not sure about the proofing time and temperature, just let it sit in a dark place. The ideal proofing/rising of the bread is when the dough has risen double its original mass. The dough rises as a result of the fermentation process, so the carbon dioxide gas will be produced inside and it will create the small gaps that you see in your bread.
Punching and re-proofing
Consider a case where you have accidentally left the bread rising way longer than required. Now, this is where you will have an over-fermented bread that might smell. What are you going to do with it now? Throw it? To deal with such a situation, give the dough a few good punches so that the trapped air and gluten network get damaged. This will allow you to proof the bread again to get a uniform texture and a smooth, rich taste. When you bake it again, there are chances that the smell will go away. Otherwise, it would still be safe to eat.
How to tell if your bread has gone bad?
As mentioned earlier, the best by date is just an estimate and your bread may still be fresh past this date. Therefore, as long as you are aware of the signs of spoilage, the bread will be safe to consume. Here are some classical indicators that help you identify that the bread is no longer fresh or safe to consume.
Mold
Mold is a type of fungus that grows in different colors. It could be black, green, white, or pink. If you see such a growth or color formation on your bread, you should discard it immediately.
Strange taste or hard texture
Even if your bread passes the first two indicators, and then does not taste right, it is better to just throw it away and not take any risks. Health is wealth!
Similarly, if you leave your bread out in the open for too long, the bread will go stale and turn dry. This is also an indicator that your bread has now gone bad and it is time to throw it away.
What can you do about the smell?
If you have a problem with the smell of fried foods, try using baking soda. Baking soda is a natural product that neutralizes odors. It works well if you put it into the air vents of your oven. To get rid of the odor from your kitchen, sprinkle baking soda around the area where the smell is coming from. This will help eliminate the smell.
Strange taste or hard texture
Strange taste or hard texture is caused by improper heating of the food. It could be because of the wrong type of pan used or the wrong temperature. To avoid strange tastes or textures, always follow the instructions given by the manufacturer.
How to tell if your bread has gone bad?
Bread goes stale after a certain period of time. It becomes hard and dry and loses its flavor. To test whether your bread is still good, try slicing off a piece and see how it tastes. If it tastes fine, it’s probably not too old. However, if it tastes stale, throw it away immediately. Bread that has been stored in the refrigerator does not go stale as quickly as bread stored at room temperature.
My bread smells like alcohol, can I eat it?
Bread that smells like alcohol is not necessarily bad. It could mean that the yeast was exposed to air during storage or transportation. This is normal. Breads that smell like alcohol are usually made with whole wheat flour. Whole wheat bread tends to have a stronger flavor than white bread. To remove the alcohol from the bread, place it in a paper bag and let it sit overnight. In the morning, open the bag and discard any remaining alcohol.
Other FAQs about Bread which you may be interested in.
Bread is a staple food around the world. It is used for making sandwiches, bread rolls, bagels, pizza, pasta, noodles, and many other dishes. Bread is made from flour, water, yeast, salt, and sometimes sugar. In addition to these ingredients, bread contains gluten, which gives it elasticity and helps it hold together. Gluten is found in wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt, kamut, triticale, farina, semolina, durum, and graham flour.
Mold
Mold is a fungus that grows on moist surfaces such as walls, ceilings, floors, and other places where moisture collects. It usually appears after a leaky roof, plumbing problem, or flooding. Mold spores float in the air and land on surfaces where they can grow. Once mold forms, it continues to grow until it reaches a certain level. This growth is called “spore production.” Mold produces microscopic spores that can remain dormant for years. These spores are released into the air when the mold dies.
What happens if you eat bread that smells like alcohol?
Fermented doughs are not only delicious but also nutritious. It is full of vitamins and minerals. However, if you ferment your dough longer than necessary, it could become sour and harmful to your health. This is because fermentation process releases carbon dioxide gas from yeast cells. Carbon dioxide is poisonous and can damage your body. So, it is important to know how long you should ferment your dough. Fermentation time depends on the type of bread you are making. For instance, if you are baking whole wheat bread, you should let it ferment for about 2 hours. But if you are making white bread, you should let the dough ferment for about 4 hours.
What happens if you put alcohol in bread?
Yeast is a fungus that lives naturally in the air. It grows on breads, doughnuts, pastries, and other baked goods. In order to prevent the growth of yeast, you can use alcohol to kill it. Alcohol kills yeast by dehydrating it. This means that it removes the moisture from the yeast cells. Once the yeast is dried out, it cannot reproduce. To kill yeast, pour 1 cup of white vinegar into a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and mix well. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray the area where the yeast is growing. Wait until the yeast stops growing and then clean the area.
Can you eat bread that smells like acetone?
Fermented breads are not only delicious but also nutritious. However, if you consume too many of these types of breads, you could develop a yeast infection. Yeast infections are caused by bacteria called candida albicans. This type of bacteria lives naturally in our bodies, but sometimes, it grows out of control and becomes harmful. It can cause symptoms such as itching, burning, redness, swelling, pain, and white patches on the skin. These symptoms usually go away after a couple of days, but if left untreated, they can lead to serious health problems.
Can I eat over fermented bread?
Bread dough contains gluten, which gives bread its elasticity. Gluten is a protein that helps give bread its structure and chewiness. Alcohol breaks down the gluten proteins, making the bread mushy and soft. Breads that contain alcohol are called “soft drinks” because they taste like soda.
Can you kill yeast with alcohol?
Yes, you can eat bread that smells like Acetone. It is called “Acetone Bread”. This type of bread is very popular in China. People love it because it tastes good and it smells great. The smell of acetone is very strong and people who eat it feel like they are eating something sweet.
Can you get sick from over fermented bread?
Bread that smells like alcohol is called “off” bread. It is caused by mold growing on the surface of the bread. This mold produces ethyl alcohol (ethyl alcohol) which gives off a smell similar to liquor. Breads that smell like alcohol are usually not good for consumption.
Is over fermented dough safe to eat?
Fermented breads are not only delicious but also nutritious. It contains probiotics which help in digestion and healthy gut. Fermentation process helps in breaking down carbohydrates into simpler sugars and starches. This process also produces lactic acid which gives sour taste to the bread. So if you are looking for a healthier option, try eating fermented breads.