Sourdough: The oldest way to make bread

The sourdough method for making bread is the oldest way of preparing a dough—5,000 years old or older. Sourdough is used as a leavening agent and improves digestibility, aroma, taste, shelf life, and the cut of baked goods, and makes rye dough suitable for baking in the first place.

 

The Secret of sourdough

The microbial community that makes the dough go sour is the result of an evolutionary process that leaves only acid-tolerant bacteria and yeasts alive. Typical types of sourdough bacteria are Lactobacillus plantarum (homofermentative) and Lactobacillus brevis (heterofermentative). Homofermentative means that they only produce lactic acid, heterofermentative means that they produce a combination of lactic and acetic acid.

 

Sourdough preparation for a starter