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Baker's yeast

Baker's yeast suppliers and sourcing guide

Baker's yeast is Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown aerobically on molasses or other sugars and sold live for leavening dough. It comes as cream yeast (a liquid slurry), compressed fresh yeast, active dry yeast and instant dry yeast, which differ in moisture, activity and storage needs. Buyers outside baking also use inactive dried baker's yeast and its derivatives, such as yeast extract, yeast protein and cell-wall beta-glucan, each sold under its own specification.

See suppliersWhat to ask for on the COA
Also known as
Saccharomyces cerevisiae · active dry yeast · instant yeast · compressed yeast
Facts checked
November 2026

Forms and grades of baker's yeast

Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.

  • Compressed (fresh) yeast

    Pressed live yeast at roughly 70% moisture with a short refrigerated shelf life, used by bakeries.

  • Active dry yeast

    Granules dried to low moisture that are rehydrated in water before use.

  • Instant dry yeast

    Finer, faster-hydrating dry yeast added straight to flour, vacuum-packed for room-temperature storage.

  • Cream yeast

    Liquid yeast slurry delivered by tanker to large bakeries and metered into mixers.

  • Inactive dried yeast

    Heat-inactivated baker's yeast sold as a food or supplement ingredient rather than a leavening agent.

What to check on the COA

Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.

Gassing power
Carbon dioxide produced by a standard dough or sugar solution over a set time, measured with a fermentometer or risograph; the main measure of activity.
Viable count or dry matter
Live yeast cells per gram and dry matter, which together set dosing.
Moisture
Loss on drying, held low for dry yeast to protect activity.
Microbiology
Coliforms, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, and counts of wild yeast or lactic bacteria that can shorten shelf life.
Heavy metals
Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury by ICP-MS, mainly requested for inactive yeast used as an ingredient.

Storage, lots and expiry

Storage and shelf life

Compressed and cream yeast must be kept refrigerated and used within the supplier's short shelf life. Dry yeast is vacuum- or nitrogen-packed and keeps at room temperature unopened; once opened, keep it sealed and refrigerated, since oxygen and moisture lower activity. Shelf life is set by the supplier, and older stock is checked with a gassing test before use.

Lots and expiry dates

Activity varies between lots and drops with age and temperature abuse, so record gassing power from the COA and, for fresh yeast, the delivery temperature. Rotate stock strictly FEFO.

Regulatory status

Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.

  • 21 CFR 172.896 permits dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces fragilis) and dried torula yeast in food, provided the total folic acid content does not exceed 0.04 milligram per gram of yeast.

    Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)

  • 21 CFR 184.1983 affirms as GRAS bakers yeast extract, made by concentrating the solubles of mechanically ruptured Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, for use as a flavoring agent and adjuvant at up to 5 percent in food.

    Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)

  • 7 CFR 205.605(a) requires yeast used as food or a fermentation agent in products labeled organic to be organic if its end use is human consumption; nonorganic yeast may be used when organic yeast is not commercially available.

    Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)

  • Health Canada's Probiotics monograph lists live Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with the common names baker's yeast and brewer's yeast, as a medicinal ingredient; non-viable forms such as heat-killed cells are excluded from that monograph.

    Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)

This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.

Baker's yeast suppliers

Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.

We are checking baker's yeast suppliers now

Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.

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Frequently asked questions

What forms of baker's yeast can brands buy?

Common forms include compressed (fresh) yeast, active dry yeast, instant dry yeast, cream yeast and inactive dried yeast. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.

What should the COA for baker's yeast include?

Expect gassing power, viable count or dry matter, moisture, microbiology and heavy metals, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.

How should baker's yeast be stored?

Compressed and cream yeast must be kept refrigerated and used within the supplier's short shelf life. Dry yeast is vacuum- or nitrogen-packed and keeps at room temperature unopened; once opened, keep it sealed and refrigerated, since oxygen and moisture lower activity. Shelf life is set by the supplier, and older stock is checked with a gassing test before use.

What is the regulatory status of baker's yeast?

21 CFR 172.896 permits dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces fragilis) and dried torula yeast in food, provided the total folic acid content does not exceed 0.04 milligram per gram of yeast. 21 CFR 184.1983 affirms as GRAS bakers yeast extract, made by concentrating the solubles of mechanically ruptured Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, for use as a flavoring agent and adjuvant at up to 5 percent in food. 7 CFR 205.605(a) requires yeast used as food or a fermentation agent in products labeled organic to be organic if its end use is human consumption; nonorganic yeast may be used when organic yeast is not commercially available. Health Canada's Probiotics monograph lists live Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with the common names baker's yeast and brewer's yeast, as a medicinal ingredient; non-viable forms such as heat-killed cells are excluded from that monograph.

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