A mixture of flour and water sits on a counter.

It looks simple.

But inside that jar, an entire microscopic community is working.

Wild yeasts consume sugars.

Bacteria produce acids.

Gas fills the dough.

And eventually, a quiet mixture of flour and water becomes a loaf of bread.

How does sourdough turn microbes into bread?

In this episode, we explore the fascinating microbiology, chemistry, and food science behind sourdough fermentation.

We begin with the sourdough starter.

Flour naturally contains microorganisms, including wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria. When flour meets water, these organisms find an environment where they can grow and metabolize nutrients.

We examine how wild yeast consumes available sugars and produces carbon dioxide and ethanol.

The carbon dioxide b ...