Why Your Pizza Dough Has Brown Specks, and What to Do Next [Causes & Solutions]
Finding brown specks in your pizza dough is extremely common and almost always harmless. This discoloration is typically caused by oxidation of bran particles in the flour. This page details the exact causes of the brown specks and helps you pinpoint their source
Note: this is a different problem from dough with black-blue specks – the distinction is in the color of the specks (black-blue vs. brown).
This page is part of PizzaBlab’s Pizza Making Troubleshooting Guide. It provides a practical overview of the most common causes for this problem, each with a brief explanation, actionable solution, and links to related articles for deeper understanding.
The sections are listed from most to least likely, meaning the first cause typically represents the most common reason for this issue, with likelihood decreasing as you move down the list. That said, several causes can often overlap or share similar likelihoods – it’s ultimately up to your process to identify which factors are at play.
Cause 1: Oxidation of Bran and/or Iron Particles Present in the Flour
Explanation:
Bran or iron particles in the dough oxidized during fermentation, causing black-brown speckles.
Solution:
IGNORE – this is harmless. The speckles will disappear completely during baking and do not affect the dough or the final result.
Additional Notes / Information
This is more common in doughs made with flours containing bran (higher ash content), such as Tipo 1, semi-whole wheat flours, or enriched flours. It may also appear in doughs with a small percentage of whole wheat flour. It is harmless, and can be ignored.
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