By Enwere, N. J
Effect of environmental factors on the chemical and microbial quality of bread during storage under ambient conditions was investigated. Freshly baked loaves of bread purchased from two bakeries in Nsukka were individually packaged in polythene bags in which the bread brands were usually sold and divided into two parts. One part was stored directly under the sun during the day and brought into the room in the night and the other half was stored inside the room for a period of seven days during which they were analysed daily for microbial and chemical changes. Data obtained from the study showed that the mould count, total viable count, and thiobabituric acid (TBA) values of bread samples stored under the sun increased and total soluble solids decreased faster than those stored inside the room. The bread samples were unfit for consumption by the seventh day of storage because they had visible mould colonie