Yeast extracts consist of the cell contents of yeast without the cell walls; they are used as food additives or flavorings, or as nutrients for bacterial culture media. They are often used to create savory flavors and umami taste sensations, and can be found in a large variety of packaged food, including frozen meals, crackers, snack foods, gravy, stock and more. They are rich in B vitamins, and so are of particular importance to vegans and vegetarians. Yeast extracts and fermented foods contain glutamic acid, an amino acid which adds an umami flavor. Glutamic acid is found in meat, cheese, fungi, and vegetables—such as mushrooms, broccoli, and tomatoes. Yeast extracts in liquid form can be dried to a light paste or a dry powder. Additionally, skincare companies like Orved, Kiehl's, REN, and SkinCeuticals use yeast extract in their products. The process to make yeast extract was invented in the 19th century by Justus von Liebig. Yeast cells are heated until they rupture, then the cells' own digestive enzymes break their proteins down into simpler compounds, a process called Autolysis. The insoluble cell walls are then separated by centrifuge, filtered, and usually spray dried.
Use in foods
Yeast autolysates are used in AussieMite, Mightymite, Vegemite, Marmite, New Zealand Marmite, Promite, Cenovis, Vitam-R, Cenovit and Maggi sauce. Bovril switched from beef extract to yeast extract for 2005 and most of 2006, but later switched back. Yeast extract is produced commercially by heating a suspension of yeast; the enzymes in the yeast cell then degrade the cell wall. The result has more concentrated flavor and a different texture. This is the process used for Vegemite, Marmite, and the like. Yeast extract is used as a flavoring in foods. It is a common ingredient in American barbecue-flavored potato chips such as Lay's.
Marmite
Marmite is a British foodspread produced by Unilever. Marmite is made from yeast extract, a by-product of beer brewing. Marmite has been produced since 1902. Marmite is a sticky, dark brownfood paste with a distinctive, powerful flavour, which is extremely salty. This distinctive taste is represented in the marketing slogan: "Love it or hate it." Such is its prominence in British popular culture that the product's name is often used as a metaphor for something that is an acquired taste or tends to polarise opinions. The image on the front of the jar shows a "marmite", a French term for a large, covered earthenware or metal cooking pot. Marmite was originally supplied in earthenware pots, but since the 1920s has been sold in glass jars. Marmite has been manufactured in New Zealand since 1919 under license, but with a different recipe, see "Marmite ". This is the only product sold as Marmite in Australasia and the Pacific, whereas elsewhere in the world the British version predominates.
Vitam-R is a savory yeast extract spread made in Hameln, Germany, by the company Vitam Hefe-Produkt GmbH. It was first developed by Rückforth AG in Stettin in 1925 following the discovery by Justus von Liebig that yeast could be concentrated. It is sometimes described as having a smoother flavor than similar products such as Marmite, Vegemite or Cenovis. Unlike those brands, Vitam-R is not an iconic part of its home country's cuisine, but it is also described as having a love-it-or-hate-it flavor. It is both vegan and vegetarian and is sold primarily in Reformhaus health-food stores.
Cenovis
Cenovis is a product based on yeast extract that is similar to Marmite and Vegemite, rich in vitamin B1. In the form of a dark brown food paste, it is used to flavour soups, sausages and salads. The most popular way to consume Cenovis, however, is to spread it on a slice of buttered bread, as stated on the product's packaging. Cenovis is popular in Switzerland. It was developed in Rheinfelden in 1931, on the initiative of a master brewer called Alex Villinger, and was subsequently produced by the company Cenovis SA.
