The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Organic yeast

pumpkinpapa's picture
pumpkinpapa

Organic yeast

I'm new to this community and it is quite vibrant, I'm glad to have found it too!

When producing organic breads and one wants to certify them as organic, what yeast is available that is organic? I've found Bio-real only with it's one North American distributor, is there others? Would any natural source yeast like that from say Frontier Coop be also organic?

I can do so much with different strains of sours, but I would like to have something for the non sour organic bread lovers to.

Or am I just reading way too much into this? :)

Ricardo's picture
Ricardo

You can start your own yeast bread without the need of adding commercial yeast but it is bit more labourious and it requires daily maintenance or refreshing the  mother dough or starter.

Then there is this sourdough natural yeast cultures that also sell via internet.

Perhaps someone here could give you more detail answers to these above

pumpkinpapa's picture
pumpkinpapa

Thanks Ricardo but I have my own starters: one made with grape skins and the other with Kefir whey. Both are delicious and yes they do require regular maintenance especially the grape skins model as it is very volatile :)

I am aware of organic active yeasts from Bioreal of Germany http://www.bioreal.ch/english/bioreal.html but I am concerned if such a product is necessary. Perhaps I could use SAF or Fleischmann's yeast in an otherwise organic formula and still have acertified organic bread?

Ricardo's picture
Ricardo

Wouldn't there where you live be and organic foods certification authority that issues guidelines?

I am sure there is one and if your item does not make it to the list it will probably mean that it is   organic. 

I am aware of certain foods at international level that require verifiable certification for export but none like breads, perhaps yeast is a natural product may be considered organic from the start.

 

 

pumpkinpapa's picture
pumpkinpapa

Aha! Thank you Ricardo! I was reading too much into this along the lines of baking issues.

I never thought to consider guidelines set out by my local organic certifications group.

Thanks for the push in the right direction 

sphealey's picture
sphealey

Googling "organic yeast" turns up five links to suppliers on the first page, so the concept is not unknown. Exactly how to obtain it will depend on where you live I guess.

 

sPh

pumpkinpapa's picture
pumpkinpapa

I did the same search many times now, and have always overlooked one result time and again.

Like the bagel recipe in Peter Reinhart's ABB, I read it over again and again and almost left out the malt powder today. I didn't though, how they turn out tomorrow is another thing altogether.

Thanks again!