Man forgets King’s Hawaiian rolls in the basement for 2 months. He can’t believe their state when he comes across it: ‘I no longer buy them’
Sometimes, it’s hard to tell when food has gone bad.
While food like fruit may show visible evidence of mold, other signs of food aging can be a little bit more difficult to detect. For example, it may be hard to tell whether your cereal has gone stale until you actually bite into it.
That said, every food goes bad at a different rate. Some food can be so slow to show signs of decay that it causes eaters to worry. That seems to be the case for TikToker Ben Osmow (@benosmow), who recently accrued over 37,000 views after rediscovering a package of King’s Hawaiian Rolls two months after opening.
What’s Wrong With This Bread?
In his video, Osmow shows a package of King’s Hawaiian Rolls.
“So big warning, do not eat King’s Hawaiian,” he starts.
“We accidentally forgot these,” he says, showing a package of rolls. “They were behind the coffee machine in the basement for, like, two months.”
After this, he picks up the rolls and inspects them. There do not appear to be visible signs of mold.
“Just went and found them. Absolutely no mold,” he says. “That’s gross.”
Why Isn’t This Bread Moldy?
There are a few reasons why this bread might not be moldy after two months.
To start, it could have something to do with where the rolls were stored, even if it was accidental. Osmow says the rolls were left in the basement. As basements can get pretty cold in the winter months, it’s possible that the low temperatures and potentially dry environment reduced the likelihood of mold development.
However, it’s also not uncommon for processed bread to be very, very slow to mold. As many other social media users have shown, mass-produced bread is, generally speaking, fairly slow to mold. While a fresh loaf may show signs of mold in less than a week, a store-bought loaf may appear mold-free for weeks.
The reason? It’s designed not to mold.
Many mass-market breads contain stabilizers and preservatives that are specifically designed to keep the bread from molding for as long as possible. Additionally, it’s common for manufacturers to formulate their recipes in order to prevent mold.
Are These Breads Safe To Eat?
Seeing this, many may be concerned about whether breads containing preservatives are safe to consume.
There’s a general consensus that many of the preservatives found in mass-produced bread are safe to eat. However, some ingredients common in American breads are banned in breads sold in the European Union and other countries around the world.
As reported by The Guardian, ingredients like azodicarbonamide have been banned in European baked goods for over a decade due to possible cancer concerns. The ingredient can still be used in breads in the United States, though many manufacturers are independently phasing it out.
For their part, King’s Hawaiian does not appear to list any common preservatives in the ingredients for its rolls. Instead, many of the “unfamiliar” ingredients on the list are simply dough conditioners, emulsifiers, and anti-caking agents.
Still, the company says its rolls last a fairly long time. According to the company, the rolls should be consumed within two weeks at room temperature, or within three months if stored in a freezer in a freezer-safe container.
@benosmow My first ever Tiktok might as well be what I always talk about anyways
♬ original sound – Ben Osmow
Commenters Are Grossed Out
In the comments section, many users didn’t like how little the bread appeared to have aged.
“That is why I buy bread and buns made by a lady in my town that only have 4 ingredients,” wrote a commenter.
“No literally I have Hawaii pretzel buns that I forgot were on top I’m my fridge …no mold….have to have bee there for a year now,” stated another.
“I forgot a loaf of wonderbread for a cpl months at room temp. It stayed fluffy and did not mold,” shared a third.
That said, some weren’t convinced that this was a major problem.
“I appreciate the warning but I’m on this Earth for a good time, not a long time,” declared a commenter.
The Mary Sue reached out to King’s Hawaiian via email and Osmow via TikTok comment.
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