I just checked the yeast I have on hand.

The 1 lb bag of SAF-Instant yeast I have lists sorbitan monostearate and ascorbic acid on the ingredients, along with yeast.

I have a package of fresh cake yeast, made by Red Star and the only ingredient is...yeast.

I prefer cake yeast but can't always get it and when I do find it I watch the dates as it has a very short shelf life....or maybe I should call it, short refrigerator life, as it is always refrigerated.

Nancy

If you don't mind short shelf life fresh yeast probably is your best bet. Since additives are added to yeast to extend shelf life, changes are you will find most, if not all, dried yeast come with something else other than just yeast. I use wild yeast, aka sourdough starter, never have to worry about additives in my breads. Al

I just talked to Fleischmann's. With some steam coming out my ears, I'll tell you what she said: that stuff has always been in there, but now the government is making us change our labels. The new label is the same as what you have been using.

Home made bread shouldn't have to contain preservatives. Anyone to share a shipment of Bob's Red Mill yeast (with no preservatives)? Amazon sells it in cartons and a carton contains 8 8-oz. packages.

Ascorbic acid is vitamin C (or vice versa to be technical about it). That doesn't seem bad to me. I use instant yeast 1/4 tsp. at a time and it lasts for months. I like that. But I understand that you want what you want.

I hope my comment doesn't make you blow your top completely. :-)

Jim

I've checked out Bob's Red Mill and their label says:

contains: active dry yeast and sorbitan monostearate

I understand the ascorbic acid (just ate a tangerine), and I know that it gives yeast an extra kick, but I don't need that. Anyway, I'm going to go back to Target and pick up the Fleischmann's. I don't think yeast cakes will work for me, although I might try them in the near future.

I'm OK, Jim, thanks for the thought. Just disappointed.

I find it interesting you have a problem with additional ingredients in yeast, which DO serve a real purpose, but if you use commercial bleached or unbleached flour, you'll find all KINDS of things in it....even if they aren't included on the label - bleaches, chlorination, oxidizers and all those inorganic minerals and chemical forms of vitamins they use to fortify the flour (by law). I would suggest making naturally leavened breads and avoid bakers' yeast entirely as a way to avoid the additional ingredients in bakers' yeast.

FYI: Chemicals used to bleach the flour include chlorine dioxide, nitrogen peroxide, chlorine, benzoyl peroxide, and acetone peroxide.

Ascorbic acid is a dough improver. I add ascorbic acid powder, or lemon juice, to all my yeast breads containing whole wheat flour or wheat germ to counteract a substance in wheat germ called Glutathione, which breaks down the gluten strands. You'll notice ascorbic acid not only added to yeast (which aids in helping the yeast work longer), but it is a common ingredient in dough enhancers and dough conditioners. Ascorbic acid will prevent the gluten bonds from breaking, and will also repair broken gluten bonds.

Yeast needs a slightly acidic atmosphere to thrive, so that's another reason ascorbic acid is added to the yeast. You don't need to add ascorbic acid to naturally leavened breads because the starter is already acidic.

-Grainlady

Bob's Red Mill sells direct, and I believe most of their stuff is available in three-packs and a few things are available in singles.

I much prefer fresh yeast cakes. The flavor, to me, is much better. Hard to find, though. I wonder if they can be frozen. Anyone know?

Are there any health food stores in your area? I get bulk yeast at the local one here. It's much cheaper than the pre-packaged stuff. I haven't asked them the brand lately, but they used to sell Red Star. I use the granular, so I've never looked for the cakes.

Well, grainlady, I admire your skills, and it seems that you are saying in order to eliminate chemicals from our diet, that I need to eliminate bread and such. I've baked bread for 30 years and don't feel I need additives in this process. My husband has had 3 different kinds of cancer and he is recovering from his last cancer-related surgery. Agent Orange is the cause--40 years ago.

I firmly believe that our country we are poisoning ourselves with chemicals and processes. Our veggies and fruits are sprayed so that they come to the market perfect. Our flours are bleached so they are appealing. Even our lawns have to be sprayed repeatedly so that they are perfect (very difficult to achieve in Florida).

I purchase as much organic "stuff" as I can because this is one way to promote healthy living. I can't grow because of salt intrusion and a very small lot, so I find what limited organic raw ingredients as I can. I purchase only King Arthur unbleached flour, and I order whole-grain cornmeal and such from Hodgson Mill.

I will get yeast at Target that only has ascorbic acid, but I obviously resent having to do that. I can bake, I've always baked, and I don't need vitamin C to make my bread rise. I can buy fresh yeast cakes over the internet, but I don't bake in the volume that would be required by using them, unless they can be frozen.

Meijer's brand.... All Natural --- Active Dry Yeast --- Net WT 4 oz glass jar

Ingredients: Yeast.
Does not contain wheat gluten or other cereal protein.

The jar I have is relatively new, Use by date is Feb 2011...

Don't know if they have a Meijers in Florida though.

Rita

I've always heard that you can freeze cake yeast if you defrost it a day in the fridge before using. I don't know if it works or not; I've never used cake yeast.

Have you tried making sourdough starter? When I was baking a lot of bread, I used that instead of yeast.

Lars

If you don't do enough baking to keep sourdough starter going in the refrigerator it can be frozen. Spread it out on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Let it air dry for a couple days...until it crumbles easily. Or, you can dry it in a dehydrator. Put it in a Zip-Lock or better still a Lock 'n Lock - type container & freeze crumbled. To use, add a tablespoon or two when making fresh dough. You can also freeze starter in liquid form.

/tricia

I found at "Marlene's Market & store deli" dry and granulated yeast. Ingredients: yeast. Only that.

You could start a sourdough starter using just rye flour and bottle water. Then you would have your own wild yeast. Pure.

Thread is 6 years old. Renee (beanthere_dunthat) was still posting.

I don't care for sourdough bread and don't bake often enough to bother with a starter.

They put vitamin c in there to keep the yeast alive!

how bout making your own, wild yeast is swimming around you as we speak, look for how to culture leaven bread!

And leaven bread will not taste like sourdough, that taste you associate with sourdough uses sour salt

Love sour dough bread......and I don't mean the stuff with sour salt.
And if you have been bakign bread for 30 years you sure have been using yeast with additives. The difference is now they must be stated on the label.

Wild yeast will make very sour sourdough if that's what you set out to do. A little starter and a long time to develop will give you sour. No additives involved.