The role of the gluten in an acid environment
When you make sourdough bread, you usually want more sourdough if you are using a flour with a low percentage of gluten ( minor strength ) and less sourdough if your flour has a good strength .
Now there is a clear connection between the acidity of the sourdough and the gluten ( or protein ) in order to achieve the perfect balance: what is the actual link ?
Best Answer
The link you are looking for is the balance between structure provided by gluten and structure provided by starch. When there is a lower percentage of gluten, starch has to remain intact to give the bread structure. So, when using a lower gluten flour to make bread you use more sourdough starter so that you can develop a higher level of acidity. This acidity reduces activity of the enzyme alpha amylase and leaves more of the starch intact. Not developing significant acidity quickly enough will lead to a gummy dough that will collapse during baking.
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How does Acid affect gluten?
Acid weakens gluten, breaks it down, makes gluten more extensible, less resistant to gas pressure and that is one of the reasons why sourdough loaves have higher volume \u2013 their gluten stretches, expands more due to their acidity.What is the role of gluten in the structure?
Gluten provides structure and chewiness, but it's also the only way to create light, airy baked goods. That's because, without gluten, bread won't rise.What is the purpose of gluten during fermentation?
Think of gluten as the miraculous net that holds bread together; it helps dough rise by trapping gas bubbles during fermentation and gives bread its unique texture.How does gluten affect the product?
Gluten is a protein naturally found in some grains including wheat, barley, and rye. It acts like a binder, holding food together and adding a \u201cstretchy\u201d quality\u2014think of a pizza maker tossing and stretching out a ball of dough. Without gluten, the dough would rip easily.Gluten and Gluten-Related Disorders, Animation
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Answer 2
According to Explaining Gluten (PDF):
The ideal pH for gluten development is 5-6. Above and below pH 5-6 reduces gluten strength producing more extensible (easier to stretch) dough. Adding baking soda raises pH producing more cookie spread, and more porous, tender crumb.
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