Exploration and Conservation of Sourdough Microbial Diversity: A Potential in Bakery

This article reviews natural sourdoughs composed of flour, water, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeasts, focusing on their species-level community structure. It reports that each sourdough hosts a dominant LAB species and a dominant yeast species, alongside dozens of minor species. Drawing on ecological principles, the authors show that higher species diversity enhances stability against flour changes, processing variations and microbial invasions, and improves overall ecosystem functioning. They discuss the need to develop biodiversity conservation programs for sourdoughs to support sustainable bakery practices with better nutritional quality and shelf life.