Page 37 - Baking Europe Journal - Winter 2022

INGREDIENTS
GLUTEN SENSITIVITY AND SOURDOUGH 37

Presently, the consensus in the About the author
medical community is that individuals Charlene is an Assistant Professor of Food Science and Human Nutrition at
with coeliac disease should avoid all Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. Her research
foods containing gluten regardless of focuses on physical and chemical structures of food components and how
fermentation status, but the use of changes to those structures can affect human health. Specifically, she is
sourdough fermentation as a interested in novel therapies for coeliac disease beyond the gluten-free diet
technology for detoxifying gluten in including the use of dietary supplements and implementation of targeted
baked goods has become an area of fermentation approaches to reduce gluten immunogenicity. Though not
interest for food scientists and gluten-sensitive herself, Charlene loves experimenting with gluten-free
nutritionists alike. baking in both her lab and her kitchen.

Fermentation approaches to
combating coeliac disease were used to ferment a dough for 24 characterised the microorganisms
Though no evidence currently exists hours before 2 hours of additional found in 500 unique sourdough
where traditional artisanal sourdough fermentation with baker’s yeast, to starters across the globe and
fermentation provides protection produce a leavened bread that did determined that the microbial
against the harmful gluten peptides not stimulate intestinal permeability in makeup of sourdough starters can be
associated with coeliac disease individuals with coeliac disease. This classified by factors such as
pathogenesis, scientists are exploring reduction in inflammatory symptoms geographic origin, age, storage
novel strategies to employ the known was associated with the extensive temperature and handling practices.
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gluten-degrading capabilities of proving time provided by the
sourdough-derived microorganisms lactobacilli, which produce enzymes As such, a “one-size-fits-all” approach
in the production of baked goods. capable of degrading gluten to prescribing the safety of
proteins. Though this application of sourdough bread would not be
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Several species of lactic acid bacteria lactobacilli is still not completely appropriate without further
commonly found in sourdough aligned with the standard use of understanding of the relationships
starters (Lactobacillus sourdough starter cultures in between sourdough starter culture
sanfrancisensis, Lactobacillus everyday baking practices, these microbiomes and their gluten-
alimentarius, Lactobacillus brevis, findings suggest that there is detoxifying abilities. However, with
Lactobacillus hilgardii) and fungal potential for targeted fermentation the advent of powerful analytical
enzymes have been applied as approaches to be used to create techniques such as metagenomic
processing aids in the production of fermented bread products and for sequencing and proteomics, the
coeliac-safe food products. In one organisms found naturally in future is bright for applying the
study, these bacterial cultures and sourdough starter cultures to provide ancient technology of sourdough in
enzymes were used to ferment a protection against gluten sensitivities. the treatment of modern ailments.
mixture of flour and water, which was
then spray-dried in preparation for The future of sourdough
further processing into a sweet baked fermentation
product. The pre-fermentation of Based on current research, the
flour in this study reduced gluten answer to the question, “Is sourdough
concentrations from ~100 ppm to < bread safe for gluten-sensitive
10 ppm and resulted in the people?”, does not appear to be a Contact detail
production of a baked item that did simple “yes” or “no”. Even if an Charlene Van Buiten, PhD
not stimulate an immune response or artisanal sourdough starter culture Assistant Professor
gastrointestinal distress in a small were found to have significant Department of Food Science and
group of individuals with coeliac protective effects against coeliac Human Nutrition
disease. 20,21 disease, sourdough starters are 213 Gifford Building
celebrated for their diversity in terms Colorado State University
In a model more akin to commercial of both their microbiomes and their Fort Collins, CO 80523
bread production, isolates of functional outputs. USA
L. alimentarius, L. brevis, E: charlene.vanbuiten@colostate.edu
T: +1 970-491-5868
L. sanfrancisensis and L. hilgardii A recent international study

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