On Feb 28, 6:52 am, John White > wrote:
> So I made some bread yesterday. Used about 80 percent white and 20
> percent whole wheat flour. The dough was really miserable stuff - sticky
> and gooey, just didn't want to hold together. Didn't rise much after it
> was shaped, either, just spread a bit. And not much oven spring at all.
> Hmm. Well, I did let the sponge sit for probably too long, and maybe I
> did use more whole wheat than usual, but still.
>
> This morning I tasted the bread. Oh. Well, now I know why you add salt
> to the dough.
>
> -John-

It probably all stems from omitting the salt. Without salt the dough
stays "sticky and gooey". The gluten doesn't mature well so the dough
stays flabby. Thus, while waiting for it to firm up and rise, it over-
proofs. And... over-proofing occurs more easily without salt...
because salt retards/balances the acid build.

So... no salt = bad gluten = doesn't trap gas = more proofing time =
glop.