Why folding dough changes the crumb
Folding or gently degassing dough improves the final crumb structure rather than merely shrinking the loaf by reorganizing the internal gas and protein matrix [1].
Gluten is the stretchable protein network formed when hydrated flour is mixed, created when proteins like glutenin and gliadin bind together to form a viscoelastic network [2][3]. This network acts as a stretchy net that traps the carbon dioxide gas produced during fermentation, causing the dough to rise as small gas bubbles expand [4][5].
When fermentation proceeds unchecked, some gas pockets grow disproportionately large, which can lead to an uneven or coarse crumb. Folding the dough expels this accumulated carbon dioxide and breaks up oversized air pockets [6]. Importantly, this process does not stop fermentation or kill the yeast [7]. Instead, it expels the old gas, equalizes temperature [8], and aligns the gluten strands into an organized structure [9].
With the old gas cleared away and the protein network refreshed, renewed carbon dioxide accumulation fills the newly redistributed bubble network [10]. This creates a more uniform distribution of gas cells, resulting in a finer and more consistent final crumb [11].
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