Yeast

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Yeast Yeast are a tiny form of fungi or plant-like microorganism (visible

only under a microscope) that exist in or on all living matter i.e.

water, soil, plants, air, etc. A common example of a yeast is the

bloom we can observe on grapes. As a living organism yeast needs

sugars, water and warmth to stay alive. In addition, albumen or

nitrogenous material are also necessary for yeast to thrive.

There are hundreds of different species of yeast identified in nature,

but the genus and species most commonly used for baking is

Saccharomyces cereviae. The scientific name Saccharomyces cerevisiae,

means 'a mold which ferments the sugar in cereal (saccharo-mucus

cerevisiae) to produce alcohol and carbon dioxide'. Yeast needs energy

to survive, and has a number of ways to attain that energy.

Fermentation and respiration are two ways The ultimate reaction of

importance in this process is the an-aerobic conversion of simple

sugars to ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide during alcoholic

fermentation as shown below. Although not shown in the fermentation

reaction, numerous other end products are formed during the course of

fermentation

Simple Sugar → Ethyl Alcohol + Carbon Dioxide

C6 H12 O6 → 2C H3 CH2 OH + 2CO2

The basic respiration reaction is shown below. The differences

between an-aerobic fermentation and aerobic respiration can be seen in

the end products. Under aerobic conditions, yeasts convert sugars to

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