Objective This study aims to study the effect of sodium lactate on quality characteristics of bread.Methods A certain proportion of sodium lactate (1.00%, 1.25%, and 1.50%) is added to bread during production. The effects of sodium lactate on texture, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), water activity, specific volume, and shelf life of bread are investigated, and the sensory evaluation of flavor is carried out.Results The bread texture indices hardness, chewiness, and stickiness increase first and then decrease with the increase of sodium lactate. When the sodium lactate content is 1.25%, the hardness of bread is the lowest, and the elasticity is the highest. The water holding capacity and specific volume of bread are significantly improved. After 1.25% sodium lactate is added, the internal structure of bread is more delicate and compact, and the sensory evaluation index scores are the highest. The shelf life of bread with sodium lactate is extended from 3 days to 5 days.Conclusion Adding sodium lactate to bread can improve the quality of bread and prolong its shelf life.