Sourdough bacteria may make bread safe for wheat intolerant: Believe it or not?

Sourdough Bacteria May Make Bread Safe For Wheat Intolerant

Harvard Medical School

February 21, 2002

(American Society for Microbiology) -- The bacteria responsible for

sourdough bread may one day help create bread products that are safe for

people with certain wheat allergies. Researchers from Italy report their

findings in the February 2002 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental

Microbiology.

In their study, the researchers discovered that certain strains of

lactobacillus bacteria, in the process of souring sourdough, produce an

enzyme that breaks down a protein believed to be toxic to people with celiac

disease. Celiac disease is a genetic disorder in which certain wheat

products can cause severe damage to the small intestines. The only treatment

for the disease is adherence to a life-long, gluten-free diet.

The discovery of the lactobacillus enzymes, though, may lead to the

development of sourdough products that do not contain the offending protein,

say researchers. " This study is the first to show that selected sourdough

lactic acid bacteria have hydrolyzing activities towards prolamin peptides

involved in human cereal intolerance. These activities could be easily

improved under more suitable technological conditions and/or addressed to

the production of special sourdough-type breads with low contents of gliadin

toxic peptides. "