11 votes

Home bakers have created an international yeast shortage. Shelves are empty, but stores say it’s temporary

Posted by asteroid
Tags: baking, yeast, bread, retail, supermarkets, shortages, author.chase purdy, source.quartz, paywall
https://qz.com/1825387/stocking-up-on-food-for-coronavirus-led-to-a-yeast-shortage

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Title
Food companies are working to get yeast back on store shelves
Authors
Chase Purdy
Published
Mar 25 2020
Word count
550 words

5 comments

  1. [2]
    kfwyre
    Link
    My husband bakes frequently and ran into this. He actually bought a good amount of flour in preparation for quarantining, but he thought we had more yeast left in regular baking supplies than he...

    My husband bakes frequently and ran into this. He actually bought a good amount of flour in preparation for quarantining, but he thought we had more yeast left in regular baking supplies than he actually did. Now we can't find it in stock at our local grocery store.

    2 votes
    1. scissortail
      Link Parent
      as Wulfsta mentioned in their comment, it's a great time to get a sourdough starter going! If you've got a bunch of raisins you could also boot up a yeast water starter--I actually have a loaf...

      as Wulfsta mentioned in their comment, it's a great time to get a sourdough starter going! If you've got a bunch of raisins you could also boot up a yeast water starter--I actually have a loaf bulk-fermenting right now that's driven exclusively by my yeast water starter.

      More on raisin yeast water here.

      3 votes
  2. [3]
    teaearlgraycold
    Link
    I have some yeast already. Can I safely keep some hydrated, warm and fed and get an infinite supply?

    I have some yeast already. Can I safely keep some hydrated, warm and fed and get an infinite supply?

    1 vote
    1. [2]
      Wulfsta
      Link Parent
      I'm not sure how that would work out, you might just end up with wild yeasts in your supply. You would likely be interested in how sourdough starters are made.

      I'm not sure how that would work out, you might just end up with wild yeasts in your supply. You would likely be interested in how sourdough starters are made.

      3 votes
      1. teaearlgraycold
        Link Parent
        I'm already working on a sourdough starter. But it's nice to have a variety of yeasts available. I suppose if I could keep a sterile environment as done for brewing I could keep the one strain of...

        I'm already working on a sourdough starter. But it's nice to have a variety of yeasts available.

        I suppose if I could keep a sterile environment as done for brewing I could keep the one strain of yeast as the dominant microbe.

        2 votes