Biodiversity 4 min

Biodiversity of leavens for high-quality breads

The diversity of baking practices, the biodiversity associated with the bakery sector (terroir, soft wheat varieties, the micro-organisms in leavens) and impacts on the nutritional and sensory quality of bread are all aspects that were studied by the Bakery participatory research project. You can find out about it in the images shown here.

Published on 12 December 2017

Low-input sourdough bread was the focus of study by the Bakery project. This bread is made by bakers or local producers using flour, water and leaven – a fermented paste composed of flour, water, bacteria and yeasts. The main idea behind the Bakery participatory research project was to understand how to sustain French baking practices and the diversity of wheats and micro-organisms used to ensure bread quality while preserving this valuable know-how.
The results revealed that among other factors, the broad diversity of bacterial and yeast species in France is notably maintained by differences in baking practices. This microbial diversity impacts bread quality in interaction with the wheat varieties used and their terroir. The French bakery sector is thus a source of biodiversity and sustains microbial genetic resources with a potential for innovation.