Sourdough bread causing loose bowel movements

[ajmetzger]

Thanks for all the helpful answers.

Interesting, I'll read up on that.

Okay, I don't use any thermometer.
https://www.thermoworks.com/tx-1002x-np/This seems to be a part of a larger system? Is there convenient budget thermometer I can measure the temperature of my bread with?

Okay, I will take extra care to keep the dough clean. I have the issue consistently with my bread, maybe my starter is contaminated?

Mine is moist even when cooled. I think measuring the temperature of the bread is a good approach. If the temperature is correct, maybe I just have to put less water in it.

That is good to know.

What's that?

I find that a Thermoworks thermapen works well. The probe is thin, like a needle, so you don't need to worry about gouging a big hole in your loaves. I bake a lot of rye bread from a rye sour I've had going for several years. The best way I've found to gauge doneness is by temperature, for rye, 198 - 202 F.

I've never had a starter get contaminated -- die from neglect, yes, but contaminated, no. Does your starter still smell good?

As for moisture, moist is one thing, gummy is another. How are you kneading -- by hand, in a stand mixer, bread machine? You should be able to get a good feel for moisture if you need by hand. In a stand mixer, it's also not too hard, you just have to watch what the dough is doing on the dough hook and give it a poke with a finger (turning off the machine first!) once in awhile.

Finally, may I recommend The Bread Baker's Apprentice? It's a wonderful resource of techniques and recipes.

Happy baking!

 

[bernardsmith]

Always very easy to impute a cause when the problem is located elsewhere. If you used the same flour and same starter for the cookies and no-one reported any discomfort then the problem may not be caused by the sourdough bread. You will almost certainly have killed any bacteria that the dough MAY have picked up from any surface you were using to knead or strengthn the dough. (you are not vegetarian?) But a sanitized work surface may something to focus on for any next loaf. Might you or members of your household have eaten something around the same time that may have upset your stomach?
As someone suggested above, live yeast cells are claimed by some to be able to survive in your stomach (the pH of gastric acids can be as low as 1.5 - and no yeast , I know, will ferment anything at that level of acidity ... ) and ferment any undigested sugars... BUT if bake bread at 350, 400, 450 or 500 F , no yeast IN THE DOUGH will survive any of those temperatures, which is not to say that no yeast floating in the air in your kitchen won't then glom onto the cooled loaf BUT a few cells ain't going to do anything. A colony consists of hundreds of billions of cells.
Bottom line: Might your upset stomach have been caused by a concurrent cause and not by the sourdough bread itself? fwhat else might have eaten that upset your stomach? Might the counter surface you used have been contaminated with e-coli or another bacterium from meat or eggs that contaminated other uncooked foods you might have eaten?