Why does bread get harder when it gets stale but a cracker softer?

- When bread is fresh, the starch molecules are gelatinized and hold water, making it soft and pliable.

- Over time, the starch molecules recrystallize and lose their ability to hold water, causing the bread to dry out and become hard.

Crackers, on the other hand, are made with a very low moisture content, which prevents them from becoming stale in the same way that bread does.

- In fact, crackers actually become softer over time as they absorb moisture from the air. This is because crackers are typically made with a type of flour that has been pre-gelatinized, which means that the starch molecules have already been broken down and are more easily digestible.