When choosing organic sourdough bread, first look for the organic certification logo, then choose a style that suits how you’ll use it: a sliced whole loaf, a rustic loaf from the bakery or rolls to finish baking at home. Sourdough alone doesn’t tell you whether bread is wholemeal or suitable for a gluten-free diet. Check the individual product’s label for fibre, salt, allergens and iodised salt.
You regularly buy organic bread and want to identify its organic status by the EU organic logo, rather than relying on a rustic appearance alone. Skal Biocontrole describes the logo as a way for consumers to recognise organic products.
You’re looking for a particular type of sourdough, perhaps one with a long proving time, a firm crust, or seeds and kernels. These qualities are separate from whether the bread is organic or wholemeal.
Your choice depends on the grains used, fibre, salt, gluten-containing ingredients or iodised salt. The word ‘sourdough’ doesn’t replace the information on the product label.
First decide whether organic certification, when you’ll use the bread or a particular feature matters most to you. Then compare the labels of products that meet your needs.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Organic certification | Look for the EU organic logo on the product. Don’t rely on words such as ‘rustic’ or ‘artisan’ alone. | If I want organic bread to be a regular part of my shopping, I need to be able to identify the product’s organic status. This is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Sourdough and bread style | Choose between a sliced whole loaf, a rustic loaf from the bakery and rolls to finish baking at home. Check where and how you can prepare or buy the product. | If crust, texture or when the bread is baked matters most to you, start by choosing a suitable style. This is the main priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Grains, fibre and salt | Read the types of flour used and compare fibre and salt on the same basis, for example per 100 g. | If this is going to be my everyday bread, I want to know which grains it contains and what the label says about fibre and salt. Around 21% of consumers give this the highest priority. |
| Allergens and iodised salt | Check the ingredients and allergen information for the individual product, and look for any mention of iodised salt. | If I need to avoid gluten-containing ingredients or want to know which type of salt has been used, I can’t rely on the words ‘organic’ or ‘sourdough’. Checking the label is the top priority for around 14% of consumers. |
Sourdough describes how bread is made, not the grains it contains. For example, Albert Heijn’s organic OerDesem blond is a light-coloured wheat bread; the sourdough name doesn’t make it wholemeal.
If wholemeal flour or fibre matters to you, check the bread description, the types of flour used and the nutrition information.
Albert Heijn’s product information for OerDesem blond and PLUS’s information for Bio Desem Pompoenbroodjes both list iodised salt. In 2014, RIVM also reported that some organic bread is eaten without iodised baker’s salt.
So, if the type of salt used matters to you, check the ingredients list for every loaf.
Sourdough bread can contain wheat or other gluten-containing grains. The organic sourdough products from Albert Heijn and PLUS mentioned in this article contain wheat.
If you need a gluten-free product, choose bread that is explicitly labelled gluten-free and check its product label.
Jumbo describes rustic sourdough loaves that are baked in store and aren’t available to order online. A product listing doesn’t necessarily mean you can place an order.
Check what’s available at your chosen shop before counting on a particular fresh loaf.
One specific packaged option is AH Liefde & Passie Biologisch OerDesem blond gesneden.
Jumbo describes rustic sourdough loaves available to buy in store. It also lists a separate product labelled gluten-free and organic.
Lidl lists a Bio rustiek meergranen desembrood for anyone looking for a brown loaf with seeds and kernels.
At PLUS, Dutch Bakery Bio Desem Pompoenbroodjes are an option if you want rolls to finish baking at home.
Dirk features sourdough in its bread range, as well as a separate category for organic bread products.
ALDI is an option for freshly baked bread, including wholemeal loaves.
Check whether the individual loaf carries the EU organic logo. According to Skal Biocontrole, consumers can use the logo to recognise a product’s organic status; a rustic name or appearance doesn’t confirm it.
No. Sourdough doesn’t automatically tell you which types of flour the bread contains. If you’re looking for wholemeal bread, check the product description and ingredients, and compare the fibre listed per 100 g if that matters to you.
No. Being organic and made with sourdough doesn’t make bread gluten-free. Albert Heijn’s organic OerDesem blond contains wheat, while PLUS’s Bio Desem Pompoenbroodjes contain gluten-containing grains. If you need gluten-free bread, look for an explicit gluten-free claim on the product.
No. The product information for both Albert Heijn OerDesem blond and PLUS Bio Desem Pompoenbroodjes lists iodised salt. In 2014, RIVM reported that some organic bread is also eaten without iodised baker’s salt. So the organic label doesn’t tell you which type of salt has been used; check the ingredients list for that.
