If you were one of the many amateur bakers who learned to bake sourdough bread during lockdown, you'll know how complex a single loaf can be. The rise of the bread, moisture, firmness and even crumb structure can make or break a baker's creation. It's why Latifeh Ahmadi, professor in the Brescia School of Food and Nutritional Sciences, studied each of those factors—and more—in an attempt to perfect the science of sourdough bread. But unlike your homemade loaf, Ahmadi was using a special ingredient of her own: acid whey.