A Quick Overview of Yeast

Just about everyone out there, and not just bakers and brewers, has heard of yeast, even if they weren’t sure what they were hearing. Whether you have a personal, in-depth familiarity with yeast or you have only heard of it used as a critical ingredient in baking, brewing, and more, there is a lot to this interesting “ingredient.” In this post, we’re going to learn a little bit more about yeast, with a special emphasis on Saf Instant Yeast, from LeSaffre.

We hope you find it interesting, and the next time you come in search of a package of Saf Instant Yeast 16 oz, you remember some of what you read here!

Just What Is Yeast?

But first off, what exactly is yeast? Yeast, unlike the other ‘ingredients’ in baking, cooking, and brewing, is not just an additive. It is a living microorganism, a culture, so to speak, that is critical for certain processes to occur during baking.

Yeast is a microscopic fungus that is grown, not produced. Yeast is critical to certain baking processes because of the fermentation it produces on a small scale, but it also contains vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients, making it a valuable contributor to a healthy diet.

The origins of using yeast lie so far back in history that they are nearly shrouded by the mists of time, but we do know that a number of historic and prehistoric cultures used yeast in the production of drinks and foods. For example, the Egyptians used yeast in the production of their breads because of the way in which it enabled the dough to rise. Various other cultures used yeast in the production of brewed, fermented beverages as well. Although they did not understand the processes, they understood the effects.

One might say - and correctly - that we would have neither bread, beer, or wine without yeast. Throughout history, people have used various forms of yeast, both fresh, dry, and liquid, for the preparation and production of baked goods, fermented drinks, and more.

Why Does It Matter?

Since we here at Stover & Company specialize in providing bulk ingredients for baking and confectionery, we will focus on the central role of used in baked goods, although it has a variety of other uses.

When a baker creates dough and goes to bake it, he or she will rely on the gases produced by yeast to allow the bread to rise. There are other agents that can and have been used to cause dough to rise, but yeast is the oldest and is still widely used, particularly in the production of bread. Without yeast, baked dough would be flat and hard!

What happens is that when a baker adds sugar and yeast into the dough, the yeast feed on the sugar. As they feed on the sugar, they produce gas in the form of carbon dioxide as a by-product. The carbon dioxide cannot escape from the wet, sticky dough and begin to fill it up. It is this simple process of fermentation that allows the bread to rise. Interestingly enough, it is the same process of fermentation of the sugars in mash used in beer production that gives beer its carbonation.

Who Uses Yeast?

Although most of the visitors to this particular page will use yeast for baking, yeast is also widely used in the production of fermented drinks like beer. In addition, yeast is also used in medical research and in the production of biofuels, but the yeasts used for these pursuits are different from the yeasts we offer here at Stover & Company.

On that note, we will circle back to Saf Instant Yeast; instant yeasts are a class of yeasts that are made of small granules and do not need to be hydrated in over to “activate” them before adding them to the dough. There are a number of different types of yeast out there, even among dry yeasts, such as dry and active dry yeast and fresh yeast. These cannot always be used interchangeably, so if you have any questions, make sure you reach out to us.

Much More Than a Saf Instant Yeast 16 oz Box!

If you came in search of a box of Saf Instant Yeast 16 oz, then you came to the right place, and for more than one reason. We’ll set you up with the yeasts and other baking goods you need to be on your merry way, but we’ll make sure you have just what you need before we do so!

If you have questions, you can always lean on our experience to ensure that you are using the right products. Our collective experience is unrivaled and we have over 70 years of experience in the industry. Customer service and expertise have propelled us to success, and they still do even today.

Make sure you contact our customer service team at 724-274-6314 if you have any questions about pricing. We’d be more than happy to work out a pricing scheme that works well for both of us.
 

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