Sourdough Microorganisms in Food Applications

Abstract

Sourdough contains a rich microflora consisting of bacteria and yeasts. The microorganisms vary according to internal and external factors contributing to the variety of sourdough. Lactic acid bacteria and yeast isolated from various sourdoughs have shown promising nutritional benefits, such as contributing to gluten degradation, increasing mineral bioavailability and vitamin stability, improving sensory quality of bread (i.e. flavor, color, and texture improvement), and other technological effects, such as an increased exopolysaccharides production with antifungal and antibacterial activities. Microorganism isolation and identification from sourdough play an important role in the production of novel industrial microbial cultures. Sourdough fermentations are suitable environments to isolate microorganisms, such as lactic acid bacteria and yeasts with antimicrobial and probiotic characteristics. The focus of the chapter is to highlight the importance of sourdough microorganisms in the nutritional, technological, and sensorial properties of food. © 2024 selection and editorial matter, Marco Garcia-Vaquero and João Miguel F. Rocha.