The Sourdough School

BALM – Proven as one of the healthiest approaches to bread in the world.

Based in the walled gardens of Dr. Vanessa Kimbell's beautiful Victorian home in rural Northamptonshire, UK, we tutor individuals and train bakers and healthcare professionals in Baking as Lifestyle Medicine (BALM). Personalising bread to your lifestyle, gut microbiome, and unique genetics for optimal health—tailoring fermentation, fibre, and diversity so that your daily bread becomes the foundation of your health.

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180 - ‘Antimould activity of sourdough lactic acid bacteria: identification of a mixture of organic acids produced by Lactobacillus sanfrancisco CB1’. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 50, 253-256

Reference Number: 180

Year: 1998

Authors: A. Corsettiá, M. Gobbettiá, J. Rossiá, P. Damiani

Link: Link to original paper

Lactic Acid Bacteria: Heterofermentative | Homofermentative

Summary

Sourdough lactic acid bacteria, cultivated in wheat ?our hydrolysate, produced antimould compounds. The antimould activity varied greatly among the strains and was mainly detected within obligately heterofermentative Lactobacillus spp. Among these, Lb. sanfrancisco CB1 had the largest spectrum. It inhibited moulds related to bread spoilage such as Fusarium, Penicillium, Aspergillus and Monilia. A mixture of acetic, caproic, formic, propionic, butyric and n-valeric acids, acting in a synergistic way, was responsible for the antimould activity. Caproic acid played a key role in inhibiting mould growth.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS STUDY

Mould is a significant cause of spoilage in bread, shortening shelf life and contributing to wastage. Sourdough fermentation has been shown to extend shelf life through the antifungal properties of organic acids produced by the lactic acid bacteria.

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All reasonable care is taken when advising about health aspects of bread, but the information that we share is not intended to take the place of treatment by a qualified medical practitioner. You must seek professional advice if you are in any doubt about any medical condition. Any application of the ideas and information contained on this website is at the reader's sole discretion and risk.

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