A Short History of Baker’s Yeast

Ever wonder about those yellow packets of yeast you see at the store? It’s taken a long time for the process to get almost perfect so anyone can bake at home with great results.

History has shown that people were using yeast before the written word for food purposes, and likely considered it a mysterious process that wasn’t clearly understood but worked.  Egyptians were known to use yeast in the leavening of bread and in the alcohol they produced for their enjoyment. Over the years, bakers have honed their skill in figuring out the right fermentation process for the desired outcome. They obtained the yeast as a byproduct of brewing beer or making wine for quite some time.

During the mid 1800’s using a microscope, a scientist named  Louis Pasteur figured out that yeast was alive and could be harnessed in pure form. In doing so, he enabled bakers to form better breads and produce a steady outcome every time.  Over the years , yeast has evolved and is sold as we know it commercially. Who would have thought something that took so much effort hundreds of years ago to obtain and perfect can now be found in any market you walk into?

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