Microbial ecology dynamics in spontaneous sourdoughs made from native and sprouted wheat and lentil flour

Sprouting represents a suitable option to improve the sensory quality and nutritional values of grains. The present work is part of a project aimed to characterize the effects of sprouting and lactic acid bacteria fermentation on microbiological, nutritional and technological quality of cereal and legume grains. In detail, here we aimed to describe, through culture dependent and culture -independent approaches, microbial ecology dynamics during production of sourdoughs prepared from native or sprouted wheat and lentil flour. Five sourdough theses, each under two different conditions of dough yield value (160, corresponding to a firm dough, and 280, corresponding to a semi-liquid dough), were produced upon spontaneous fermentation: (i) refined (type 00) soft wheat flour; (ii) wholemeal soft wheat flour; (iii) wholemeal flour obtained from sprouted soft wheat grains; (iii) wholemeal flour obtained from sprouted lentils; and (v) blend of wholemeal flours obtained from sprouted wheat grains and lentils. Microbiological and biochemical features, including profiles of volatile organic compounds (VOC) were investigated during 10 days of continuous back-slopping. Initially microbiota was very complex, but after 10 days it was simplified. Microbiological features and profile of VOC clearly distinguished the sourdoughs, depending on type of flour (native/sprouted) and value of dough yield.