Yeast is a single-celled organism with over 1,500 known species, and it has been used for thousands of years in various applications. Yeast is mainly used in food production, particularly in baking and making alcoholic beverages. Here are some of the most common uses of yeast:
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Baking: Yeast is used as a leavening agent in baked goods like bread, cinnamon buns, doughnuts, and more. When yeast reacts with the sugar and flour in a bread recipe, for instance, a fermentation process begins, resulting in the release of carbon dioxide and alcohol. The bread dough traps the gas, causing it to expand and rise.
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Brewing: Yeast is used in beer and wine making processes to ferment the sugars present in malted barley and grapes, respectively, to produce alcohol. One of the most common yeasts used in brewing beer is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the same strain used in breadmaking.
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Flavoring: Yeast also flavors grapes in the wine-making process, changing them from sweet/tart fruit to something more complex and "adult".
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Nutritional supplementation: Yeast is rich in vitamins and minerals, and it is used in dietary supplements and drugs.
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Biofuel production: Yeast is used to produce ethanol for the biofuel industry.
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Fermentation: Yeast is used to produce fermented foods like kombucha, sauerkraut, and cacao, among others.
Overall, yeast is a versatile microorganism that has many uses in the food industry and beyond.
