yeast is concerned, there is always the "strong" possibility of
infection, contamination or whatever you want to call it. When I made
wine, sanitation was easy (a few Camden tablets). When I made beer,
sanitation was tough (dilute Clorox solution and rinse for everything it
touched.)
The bread making standard for home starters is the flour / water / yeast
mix in the refrigerator that gets refreshed every so often. The procedure
certainly leaves gaping holes for additional "growing things" to be
introduced to the culture. I've kept them for years using this process,
but the final flavor did evolve from what I started with.
I'm wondering if anyone has attempted to keep their sourdough culture in
liquid form as many home brewers do. The procedure is straightforward, but
the sanitization involved can be a pain. It would certainly not allow for
any new contaminants and future cultures should be the same as the original
keeping the flavor of each loaf fairly consistent.
"Richard L Walker"<rlwalker2@cox.net>
Pensacola, FL 32504-7726 USA