Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a yeast species, used for fermentation of wine and beer, and for bread making. There are over 1,500 species of yeast but Saccharomyces cerevisiae is the best known due to its long history (probably reaching back through prehistory) as the primary yeast used to ferment beer and wine, and leaven bread.
Like all yeast, it is a type of fungus. Most yeasts exist in a single cell form, while some, such as candida albicans can form strings of yeast cells, however Saccharomyces cerevisiae does not take this form.
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Allergy
People with a yeast allergy are generally allergic to Saccharomyces cerevisiae, since it is present in the human body and also used to ferment beer and wine and leaven bread, therefore it is the main yeast that people are exposed to in large quantities.
Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Strains
There are many strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae developed for specific purposes. In wine making, the strain of yeast is carefully chooses to influence the flavor and other characteristics of the wine.
Baker’s Yeast
Bakers yeast is a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae used in baking, especially bread making. It ferments in the raw dough, converting sugars into carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide bubbles expand, leavening the bread and creating the holes throughout a loaf of bread.
Brewer’s Yeast
There are several types of brewer’s yeast. In wine making, there are many strains, as mentioned above. In beer making, certain strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are generally used for top fermenting beers, in other words ales. Lager beers are bottom fermenting and generally use Saccharomyces pastorianus, a different species of yeast.