The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Previously unknown levain yeast discovered in Québec forest

Jon OBrien's picture
Jon OBrien

Previously unknown levain yeast discovered in Québec forest

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

in a symbiotic relationship with LAB in a low acid SD levain?  They were found in tree sap.  Wouldn't it more likely be called a new tree sap yeast found as opposed to levain yeast?  Very few yeast can live in the high acid environment of a SD leavin.  Am I missing something?  Very interesting though

Jon OBrien's picture
Jon OBrien

...seems to come about because it's identified as being related to brewers'/bakers' yeast, as far as I can see. Not being a microbiologist I don't think I got all from the article which is there to be got.

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

found in the "Northwoods" of Wisconsin and Michigan.  Also used to raise dough.  The article makes me want to go out and scrape a few trees for yeast.   :)

http://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/11693/lungwort-leavening

dobie's picture
dobie

Jon, dbm and Mini

Honestly, not only is this over my head, but it makes it hurt to try and read it, let alone understand it.

But a question. Is there any yeast that is harmful to humans when it comes to raising dough and then baked? Or ingested raw (orally)? Are there any dangers?

Thanks

dobie

Jon OBrien's picture
Jon OBrien

...I'm not qualified to answer that question but, as far as I'm aware, once baked all yeast is dead and non-toxic.

You certainly wouldn't want to spoon live candida down you and there are probably others that wouldn't do you any good, but I couldn't name any.

doughooker's picture
doughooker

Is there any yeast that is harmful to humans when it comes to raising dough and then baked?

Think about what you're asking. If a yeast were harmful to humans after baking, do you think it would be used to raise bread?

dobie's picture
dobie

mixinator

Believe me, I thought of what I'm asking.

Obviously I am not discussing yeasts commonly used, but rather those that I may gather from unconventional sources.

I thought that was implied in the conversation.

And another question is, that even tho the yeast may be dead after bake, might there be harmful wastes or byproducts? Just checking all bases.

dobie

Elagins's picture
Elagins

Yeast is, after all, a fungus, and there are any number of issues related to fungal mycotoxins. Not to say that "yeast" is a killer, just that I'd recommend both lingusitic precision and thorough chemical analysis of any fungus before I ingest it.

Wild-Yeast's picture
Wild-Yeast

How in God's Earth did those escape my lab?

Wild-Yeast

MonkeyDaddy's picture
MonkeyDaddy

I found a highly fascinating article here:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiG8f6xsrPKAhXCTCYKHRheDvgQFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgenome.cs...

One of their conclusions was that S. cerevisiae is only found in the wild in areas near humans, and efforts to isolate them in unpopulated areas have been unsuccessful.  Their contention being that since humans captured, cultivated, and cultured the organism it was individuals that "escaped the lab" that are colonizing the outdoor areas surrounding human developments.

The major portion of the paper was devoted to the yeasts assosciated with winemaking, but it was still an awesome bit of information 

 

dobie's picture
dobie

Mike

That's a crazy idea. It's a long read, so it'll take me a bit, but thanks for that link.

Definitely opens the train of thought.

dobie

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

It appears that bread making dates back at least 6000 years, but use of leavening, which required the development of suitable cereal grains with easily removable hulls, gluten, and the introduction of yeast cells, did not appear until around 500 BC (McGee 1984). 

You have to wonder about the validity of any of their conclusions.

MonkeyDaddy's picture
MonkeyDaddy

but I was intrigued by the initial lines and it drew me in enough to keep reading.  

I was trying to keep myself awake again at work.  Just between you and me and the lightpost, it wasn't very effective ;-)