What generates the carbon dioxide required for genuine sourdough dough to rise?
Answer
Wild yeasts coexisting with lactic acid bacteria
The leavening action in authentic sourdough bread is provided by the wild yeasts that are naturally present in the flour and environment, which colonize and multiply within the starter culture. These wild yeasts exist in a symbiotic relationship with lactic acid bacteria, a partnership essential to the process. While the bacteria are crucial for producing the signature acidic tang, it is the metabolic activity of the wild yeasts that breaks down the sugars present in the flour, resulting in the generation of carbon dioxide gas. This gas becomes trapped within the dough matrix, causing it to expand and rise during proofing.
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