What is Fermentation?
Because yeasts are unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms, they belong to the realm of fungi. The most well-known is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or brewer’s yeast. But it also includes bread yeast and wine yeast. Some yeasts are able to decompose glucose and convert it into carbon dioxide and alcohol. Yeasts differ from prokaryotes, such as bacteria, in that they have a cell nucleus. The metabolism of yeasts is either aerobic or anaerobic. Yeast is needed in the preparation of bread, alcoholic beverages, as well as chocolate and coffee to impart their typical flavors.