FLAD – Fermentación Láctica Anaerobia Dirigida Marco técnico para el control microbiológico y bioquímico de la fermentación del pan con masa madre

The Fermentación Láctica Anaerobia Dirigida (FLAD) is a fermentation model applied to sourdough breadmaking that establishes a technical framework for controlling the microbiological and biochemical environment of the dough. The method is based on three core pillars: controlled reduction of oxygen during fermentation, thermal modulation in successive phases, and the use of pH as the primary indicator of fermentative state instead of volume or time. FLAD promotes a predominantly lactic metabolic pathway, allowing slow and stable acidification driven by lactic acid bacteria. This controlled process enables biochemical transformations associated with long fermentations, including phytate hydrolysis, controlled proteolysis of gluten proteins, partial reduction of fermentable carbohydrates, and structural modification of starch. The method does not propose fixed recipes or rigid timelines, but a reproducible and adaptable framework based on observation of the biological state of the dough. The optimal baking point is defined at approximately pH 4.2, representing a balance between sufficient biochemical transformation and structural stability. FLAD is presented as a technical and conceptual model aimed at improving digestibility, functional quality, and natural preservation of bread, while respecting the variability inherent to living fermentation systems.