Citizen Science Corner| article
Donated sourdough starters helped researchers discover factors that influence microbial communities in these living cultures.
Sourdough bread has a long history with humans. People love the tangy flavor of sourdough, but the microorganisms within the living starter that create this delicious bread remain a mystery. To find the answer, Rob Dunnan ecologist and evolutionary biologist at North Carolina State University, started a citizen science project. The Science of Sourdough Dunn’s group collaborated with other researchers to study how the geographic location of a starter affects its microbial species.
“I had no idea how much interest would grow,” he recalled. Lauren NicholsHe worked as a lab manager in Dunn’s group and currently works as a data visualization analyst at Duke University. Over 500 people around the world donated starters, some of which have actually been family heirlooms for decades!
They used 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing to determine: 70 yeast speciesWith the presence of lactic acid and acetic acid producing bacteria.1 Surprisingly, they found that despite their distinct geographical origins, most starters contained similar bacterial and yeast species. The findings raise more questions about how starters are made and maintained.
Because of this they Factor exploration These include flavor, flour type, rise time, rise height, and more. “We’ve been interacting with people all over the world who make wild sourdough,” Dunn said. Home bakers experimented with different flours (white or whole wheat) and locations (indoors or outdoors) and reported their observations over several weeks. Among the 40 selectees they found. distinct growth stages This correlates with early changes in bacterial diversity, with lactic acid-producing bacteria lowering pH in the first few days.2 The type of flour also affects the bacterial species present, which affects the height and sourness of the starter.
With thousands of additional observations to analyze, Nichols said, “we can see things we didn’t expect, which can give us clues about where we can focus our energies for future projects.”
Interested in submitting your own citizen science project?
