Interesting Facts about Fleishmann’s Instant Yeast and Others

As the resident experts on baking supplies and confectionery supplies of all sorts, we figured we’d lighten our readers’ day with some interesting facts about Fleischmann’s Instant Yeast. How you can use it will vary according to the recipe, and there are a lot of things you can use it for, but these facts are interesting just the same! 

1.Fleischmann’s Instant Yeast is Kosher

Fleischmann’s Instant Yeast is prepared in accordance with the dietary laws of Judaism, making it acceptable for prepared baked goods for Jewish celebrations!

2.Fleischmann’s can remain viable for up to two years

While other types of yeast like freshor compressed yeast only last a little while even when refrigerated and slowly lose their viability even when they are properly stored, Fleischmann’s dry yeast can last for up to two years, even when it’s simply stored in the packet it comes in.

3. Fleischmann’s doesn’t need to be proofed prior to addition to the dough

Some bakers proof their yeast prior to baking with it, which means they add the yeast to a little bowl of warm water and sometimes sugar prior to adding it to the dough. This is done to check the viability of the yeast; if the water mixture shows a little foam at the top, the yeast is fermenting in the liquid and thus is viable and can be used.

Baking with Fleischmann’s saves time because you can skip this step, adding Fleischmann’s Instant Yeast right in with the other dry ingredients, without the need for proofing.

4. Yeast has been considered the oldest cultivated agricultural product in the world

We know yeast has been used for at least 5,000 years, but since it has been used since before writing was invented, it may have been used for even longer than that. There is some evidence that yeast may have been used close to 10,000 years ago. Yeast has been widely used in the production of bread and other baked goods as well as beer, wine, and other fermented spirits for so long that some consider it the first, or one of the first, widely used agricultural products.

5.Yeast isn’t just an ingredient - it’s alive!

Yeast owes everything to the fact that it is actually a small, single-celled organism. It is a small fungus that is known as Saccharomyces Cerevisiae. This small organism feeds on the sugars in dough in a process that is called fermentation, which causes bread and other doughs to rise.

6. Not all yeast is viable

Not all yeast is alive, though. Some years are considered inactive which means they have been cooked or otherwise sterilized before being packaged for sale. Although inactive yeast will not ferment or cause the dough to rise, it has been used to create a smoother consistency in dough in some recipes, and others still add it for flavor or nutritional value.

7. Yeast doesn’t just make dough rise, it can also be added for flavor

As stated above, inactive yeast has several uses, and one of the more common ones is the fact that it can be used to add flavor. Inactive yeast is said to have a rich, nutty, even cheesy flavor, and is a common flavoring additive in some foods.

8. It takes almost a million individual yeast cells to see with the naked eye

A single cell of yeast is far too small to see with the naked eye. It takes nearly a million cells together before a human can detect them without the help of a microscope. In fact, there are nearly a billion cells of yeast included in one of those small packets (typically .75 oz) of baker’s yeast.

9. When yeast was first physically observed, it wasn’t considered alive

While yeast has been used for thousands of years to make beer, wine, bread, and other baked goods, the cells that constitute yeast weren’t observed individually for the first time until 1680. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, most famous for inventing the microscope, discovered yeast “cells” in 1680 but didn’t consider them alive. It wasn’t until nearly two centuries later that the link was made between the observable effects of yeast and their status as an organism.

10. Some yeast can be used to make biofuel

As biofuels like ethanol become more important, some yeasts are becoming more and more important economically for their production. Some yeasts can be used to produce ethanol that goes on to power engines and other machines.

If you liked these interesting facts about Fleischmann’s Instant and other forms of yeast, make sure you check our blog periodically where you’ll come across new interesting tidbits, tips, tricks, and other morsels of information.

If you have any questions about the different types of yeast we offer here at Stover & Company, please be sure to reach out to our customer service team at 724-274-6314. We’d be more than happy to help.