The acidity is the most objective indicator of the degree of ripeness, as well as of the quality, since the composition and the amount of acid influences the course of the most important processes that take place in the raw material or in the dough and therefore also influences the taste of the finished product. Roughly speaking, acidity is the amount of acid that accumulates during the fermentation process.
As things stand today, there is a clear pH value for wheat dough at which the dough is most elastic. At this pH value, the (+) and (-) charges in the protein molecules are equal, and they are least able to bind and dissolve in water.
The weighted average of the optimal pH value for dough/bread is pH 5.0 for wheat bread and pH 4.2-4.3 for rye dough/bread.
The wheat starter has a pH of around 4.5 and the rye starter has a pH of around 4.0.
❓And if the acidity is too high or too low?
❌ The acidity is too high:
➡️ if the flour is wetter than normal (for normal wheat this is between 14.5 and 15%);
➡️ when undesirable microorganisms, especially molds, are active in flour with a higher moisture content.
Flour with increased acidity produces more acidic bread with smaller pores. The crumb at the bottom of the product is often thickened. The appearance of the crust deteriorates: the crust becomes flaky and the color of the crust becomes brown.
❌ The acid content is too low:
➡️ A flour pH value below 6 indicates flour spoilage or the presence in the flour of chemicals from the category of strong oxidizers commonly used to bleach flour.
If you have high-quality ingredients that you store properly, your breads are more likely to have the right acidity. 😜 We wish you delicious (somewhat) sour bread and of course a lot of fun baking! 🍞❤️
