Mechanical properties of dried bread (a cellular bakedproduct) equilibrated at different water activities (A,) were measured using three-point bending and uniaxial compression to compare their responses to moisture sorption. The glass-to-rubber transition was clearly demarcated in all the mechanical property-A, curves, although there were differences in critical A, (0.32-0.56) at which the dramatic changes in mechanical properties occurred. The role of water appeared to be strictly that of a plasticizer where flexural mechanical parameters were concerned, leading to reduced modulus and fracture stress but increased fracture strain with increasing A,. Uniaxial compression tests revealed moisture-induced mechanical antiplasticization effects on the material in the glassy state which resulted in maximum compressive fracture stress but minimum fracture strain over the A, range from 0-0.56.C ompressive modulus apparently was not affected much by moisture sorption up to an A, of 0.43, above which it decreased sharply