Joanna Blythman and the Great British Sourdough Scandal

Joanna Blythman is a British food writer and journalist who has been a vocal critic of the food industry for many years. In her 2014 book Sourdough: The Secret of the True Bread, she exposed the widespread use of commercial sourdough starters in the production of sourdough bread in the UK.

What is a sourdough starter?

A sourdough starter is a mixture of flour and water that is fermented by wild yeast and bacteria. This fermentation process produces lactic acid and other acids, which give sourdough bread its characteristic sour flavour. Sourdough starters can be made from any type of flour, but rye flour is traditionally used.

The Great British Sourdough Scandal

In her book, Blythman revealed that many commercial bakeries in the UK were using commercial sourdough starters to produce sourdough bread. These starters are made from a blend of flour, water, and yeast, and they do not contain any wild yeast or bacteria. As a result, the bread produced using these starters does not have the same flavour or nutritional value as true sourdough bread.

Blythman's book sparked a public outcry and led to a number of investigations by the UK food safety agency, the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The FSA found that a number of bakeries were indeed using commercial sourdough starters to produce sourdough bread. The FSA also found that some bakeries were labelling bread as "sourdough" when it did not contain any sourdough starter at all.

The impact of the scandal

The Great British Sourdough Scandal had a significant impact on the food industry in the UK. A number of bakeries were forced to change their practices and to start using true sourdough starters. The scandal also led to a greater awareness of the importance of food labelling and the need for consumers to be able to trust the food they are buying.

Joanna Blythman's work

Joanna Blythman has continued to be a vocal critic of the food industry. She has written a number of books on food safety and sustainability, and she regularly appears on television and radio to discuss food-related issues. Blythman's work has helped to raise awareness of the importance of food safety and the need for consumers to be able to trust the food they are buying.