On 2005-08-14, Kenneth > wrote:
> On Sun, 14 Aug 2005 16:59:55 GMT, Randall Nortman
> wrote:
>
>>I'm wondering if it might make sense to maintain the starter with
>>all-purpose flour instead of bread flour,
>
> Howdy,
>
> Is not KA-AP flour "bread" flour by most standards?
>
> Most folks seem to use the term "bread" flour to mean a
> high-protein white.

I think that with respect to the current question (starter feeding),
the critical difference between them is not protein content but the
fact that KA bread flour has added malted barley flour, which provides
enzymes that break down the starches into sugars more easily digested
by yeast (and lactobacilli). Unfortunately, I can't check the
ingredient list of the KA AP flour since I put the flour in airtight
containers and throw the bags away, but my recollection is that it
does not have malted barley flour. If that is the case, then the
organisms should have a harder time extracting the sugars and so
fermentation should be slowed. It wouldn't be unreasonable to expect
that you'd even end up with a slightly different mix of yeast and
lactobacilli strains after many generations, having selected for
organisms which produce more of their own enzymes.

--
Randall