Leo Kline; Found the Source of S.F. Sourdough Bread Flavor

Leo Kline, 76, who discovered the source of the tangy flavor of San Francisco sourdough bread. Before Kline’s discovery, the distinctive flavor of sourdough was attributed to a combination of the city’s fog, local ovens and careful cooking. After two years of research with colleague T. Frank Sugihara, Kline discovered Lactobacillus sanfrancisco , a microorganism in sourdough starter that produces lactic and acetic acids. Kline noted that the origin of the microorganism is unknown. He received a patent in 1977 for San Francisco Sour Start, a freeze-dried natural flour culture that contained live Lactobacillus sanfrancisco. In Richmond, Calif., on Jan. 10 after a heart attack.