Starter dough must be "fed" with flour and water to provide the necessary nutrients for the yeast and bacteria that inhabit it. Over time, as these microorganisms consume the sugars and nutrients present in the dough, their reserves deplete. Feeding the starter replenishes these nutrients, ensuring a healthy environment for the yeast and promoting active fermentation. This process helps maintain the starter's viability and effectiveness for leavening bread, enabling bakers to create consistent and flavorful sourdough. Regular feeding also helps sustain the balance of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, which are crucial for achieving the desired sour taste and texture in the final bread product. Without regular feeding, the starter could become inactive or develop undesirable flavors, making it unsuitable for baking.
Some bakers of sourdough and a few other types of bread have what they call "starter dough". This dough contains yeast from which they make all their bread. Some starter dough is more than 100 years old. The dough has to be "fed" more flour and water on a regular basis for it to remain usable. Why must the starter dough be "fed" (Anser MUST be from ebook readings)
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