PADUA, ITALY — Il Granaio delle Idee, a baking ingredients company based in Padua, has identified a sourdough bakery strain that has been shown to improve the flavor and aroma profile of baked foods via its starter culture product, Pater. Il Granaio delle Idee now is collaborating with Ginkgo Bioworks, Boston, to accelerate the growth rate of the strain through Ginkgo Bioworks’ adaptive laboratory evolution technology.

Lactic acid bacteria help give sourdough its distinctive taste, according to Il Granaio delle Idee. Pater, a shelf-stable dried baking mix, keeps lactic acid bacteria dispersed in flour, viable and stable over time. Pater makes sourdough in mass, enabling artisanal and industrial bakers to expand their offerings of sourdough-based products. Pater may enhance the flavor, fragrance and structure of bread as well as improve digestibility and extend shelf life, according to Il Granaio delle Idee.

Ginkgo’s adaptive laboratory evolution technology adapts strains to industrially relevant conditions without editing genes.