Question

Name one commercial use of yeast.

Answer 1

Yeast is a type of fungi that is of considerable importance for humans in various commercial and industrial sectors. This is due to the property of alcoholic fermentation performed by yeasts where sugar is anaerobically converted to ethanol and carbon dioxide.

Complete answer:
Yeast belongs to the division of ascomycetes or sac fungi. They ferment sugar to ethanol and carbon dioxide and thus are used for various commercial purposes. They are an important component of the baking industry where Saccharomyces cerevisiae, budding yeast is commonly used. The carbon dioxide released during fermentation is used to make bread and cakes rise and have a spongy texture.

Additional Information:
-For making any dough rise, sugar is added into the flour, which is a perfect substrate for the yeast to use. Once all the optimal conditions such as temperature and pressure are reached, enzymes present in a yeast cell, break down sugar into carbon dioxide, and ethyl alcohol. This process is referred to as fermentation.
- The carbon dioxide released acts as a leavening agent forming bubbles. This leads to a ‘leavening action’ by virtue of which the carbon dioxide bubbles make the dough rise. Due to the strong and elastic gluten network provided by the flour, the carbon dioxide gets trapped inside the dough and causes rise or inflation.

Note: -They are also used for making alcoholic beverages like beer and wine. Commercial production of ethanol also employs the use of yeasts.
-Yeasts are also used as a single cell protein where an unadulterated protein can be extracted from pure yeast cultures. The protein observed is used as a nutritional supplement for humans and animals alike.