Sourdough is one of the oldest kinds of bread, with a delightful variety of flavor notes and a distinctive tangy taste. A formal, working definition of sourdough is, surprisingly, not crystallized, given its rich history. Classifications may be a difficult endeavor, but, a common understanding helps bakers and consumers.
Sourdough production is a traditional bread-making practice, that, until the middle of the 19th century, was the main way to make leavened bread by fermentation. Sourdough carries strong cultural and traditional aspects, which have been preserved throughout the years. This has led to a large variety and diversity of sourdoughs available on the market nowadays, as well as a difficulty in the classification and definition of sourdough in different European markets due to its inherent use as a leavening agent and/or for its organoleptic properties.
No general consensus or harmonized European understanding can currently be observed. However, despite this variety and differences, a common understanding in the industry on the forms and the use of sourdough can be found, and Fedima is at the forefront of promoting it with its “Understanding Sourdough” paper, aiming at wide endorsement among different industry players.
According to Fedima, alignment on this common understanding is essential in order to ensure the protection of the interest of consumers, and safeguard the integrity of
the term ‘sourdough’ and its heritage while securing the functioning of the internal market. Fedima defines sourdough as a characteristic food ingredient obtained from flour of cereals or pseudo-cereals, fermented by microorganisms – mainly lactic acid bacteria and yeast – without the addition of acids to artificially adapt the acidity.
In the consumer-facing context, the priority should be to provide them with transparent information while valorizing the baker’s process. Taking bread as an example, Fedima defines sourdough bread as bread fermented with sourdough or with sourdough and bakers’ yeast. On the other hand, bread (prepared) with sourdough as bread fermented by bakers’ yeast and containing sourdough as an ingredient bringing typical organoleptic characteristics. Its quantity is the one recorded after the sourdough fermentation. In this case, the sourdough is listed as an ingredient in accordance with EU’s food information to consumers legislation.
