Isolation and characterization of starter culture from spontaneous fermentation of sourdough.

ABSTRACT Wheat flour dough samples were collected from different bakeries located in Faisalabad city, Pakistan. Spontaneous fermentation of dough samples was carried out for 24 h at 30°C in the laboratory. The isolates were Gram stained and the Gram positive were identified to genus level using morphological, physiological tests. Identification based on classical identification methods and API 50 CH assimilation profiles showed that the lactobacilli contained in sourdoughs belonged to three groups (Lactobacillus brevis, L. plantarum & L. fermentum). Yeasts were also characterized on the basis of morphological and biochemical criteria. Conventional identification methods and API 20 C AUX assimilation profiles revealed that Saccharomyces cerevisiae was the only yeast species present on the sourdoughs