A substance added to bread and cakes to keep them soft and fresh for longer by slowing the staling process. Staling is mainly starch retrogradation, the recrystallization of starch molecules after baking, which firms the crumb and is accelerated by refrigeration. Antistaling agents work through several mechanisms: emulsifiers such as monoglycerides complex with amylose to block recrystallization, enzymes such as maltogenic amylase trim starch chains into less crystallization-prone fragments, and humectants hold moisture in the crumb. Their use extends the palatable shelf life of packaged bread from a day or two to a week or more, reducing waste across the supply chain. Consumers experience them as the difference between bread that stays soft in the bag and bread that turns leathery overnight.