By John Gauwitz Sr. Yeast goes back some six thousand years, when it was discovered by the Egyptians. In H. E. Jacob’s book Six Thousand Years of Bread: "While all other peoples feared lest their food decay, the Egyptians set aside their dough until it decayed and observed with pleasure the process that took place."

The Egyptians did not know the chemical details about yeast, however, and it was not until 1719 that the Dutch scientist, Van Leeuwenhoek, first discovered yeast cells. Nevertheless, people in various countries since the time of the Egyptians were led by instinct to build healthful and tasty foods through yeast cultures grown on a great variety of nutrients such as grain and milk products. Furthermore, those yeast and yeast cultures have been used to preserve foods by leavening and kindred methods, especially when no refrigeration was available.

During World War II some of the allied prisoners in Java were fed both soybean meal and coconut meal after those products had been rendered edible through the action of a mold long used for that purpose by the primitive people of Java.

Yeast for feeding can be obtained as a by-product or it can be the primary object of manufacture. Primary production, unlike by-product utilization, is capable of more or less indefinite expansion, and also affords flexibility in choice of culture, methods of manufacture and raw materials.

Western Yeast Company came into the picture in 1932. We were founded by Dr. E. W. Newhaven with a double fermentation process that he had developed at Cal-Tech in 1930. This process (which is still used today) is unique, complicated, expensive and time consuming, but in our opinion, the finest way to make a true yeast culture. It produces enzymes, lactic ferments, unidentified factors, B vitamins and live enzyme-bearing yeast cells.

Western Yeast cells are of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain. Each cell possesses a thick membrane through which it secretes enzymes, co-enzymes and vitamins into the surrounding media. Enzymes are vital and without them, no life could exist. They make it possible for the living cell (whether yeast, animal or human) to carry out rapidly and efficiently, vital chemical reactions.

The enzymes in our cultures assist in the breakdown of proteins into usable amino acids, in the digestion of carbohydrates into simple sugars for ready assimilation by the host, and facilitates the reduction of fibrous material into usable carbohydrates. By including our live enzyme-bearing cells into the feed before ingestion, the animal is given the advantage of having its essential nutrients made more completely available, and for a longer period during the digestive process. The lactic acid reaction is also an advantage to the extent that it acts as a beneficial germicide in the intestinal tract and assists in the assimilation of calcium and phosphorus through chemical changes.

Western Yeast Cultures are very palatable and, with proper storage, extremely stable. We have tested product that has been stored for one year and still retained its viability. There was cell count loss, but the activity was still ample enough to do the job it was designed for.

In summary, yeast has been around for thousands of years, but only recently has it received the recognition it deserves. A properly cultured yeast, such as Western, has the delicate balance of live enzyme-bearing cells, enzymes, unidentified factors and lactic ferments and will produce results year after year. It is good insurance to add Western.

About the author:    
John D. Gauwitz, Sr. retired as vice president of Western Yeast Company on December 31, 1993 with 46 years of experience in the manufacture of yeast culture.