To undergo or cause autolysis, meaning for cells to break down their own structures, especially used in cooking and fermentation.
From 'auto-' (self) + 'lyze' (to loosen or dissolve, from Greek 'lysis'). The American spelling variant of 'autolyse,' standardized in 20th-century chemistry.
Bread makers use autolysis intentionally—they mix flour and water and wait for the dough to autolyze before adding other ingredients, which makes the gluten stronger and improves the bread's texture without extra kneading.
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