Utilization of indigenously isolated single strain starter cultures for the production of sourdough bread

Sourdoughs were prepared with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (T 0 ) and indigenously isolated starter cultures i.e Lactobacillus brevis ( T 1 ) , Lactobacillus fermentum (T 2 ) and Lactobacillus plantarum (T 3 ). Breads were prepared from all sourdoughs samples in triplicate and analyzed for pH, Total Titratable Acidity (TTA), loaf volume, microbial characteristics (total plate count and fungal count) and sensory profile (internal and external) in triplicate. The breads prepared from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (T 0 ) exhibited the highest pH with the lowest TTA while T 1 showed the lowest pH with the highest TTA. The T 0 breads got the highest values for loaf volume followed by T 1 . The breads produced with the addition of hetero-fermentative starter cultures (T 1 and T 2 ) showed resistance against the growth of the contaminating microorganisms. In the sensory evaluation, the breads produced with T 1 ranked the best for color (crust and crumb), taste, aroma, texture and overall acceptability by the panelists.