Wild Sourdough Fermentations

Abstract

For approximately 5,000 years, two fermentation reactions produced by wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria were used to leaven and flavor bread. In the past 100 years, we have learned to cultivate pure cultures of microorganisms and have applied these techniques to the commercial baking of sourdough breads with questionable success. Sourdough bakers frequently seek the advice of medical microbiologists when they have problems with their cultures. The following article explains the history of early microbiology on which much of our current baking techniques are based and answers many of the questions asked by sourdough bakers. This is the third article in a continuing education update series on microbiology. Other articles focus on public health laboratories, veterinary laboratories, and food safety.