Insight and news on the use of yeast extract as a natural and vegan-friendly ingredient in cooking.
Interview with Professor Toshihide Nishimura about the umami taste
Yeast extract is popular primarily because of its hearty umami taste; the fifth taste besides sweet, sour, salty and bitter. It was discovered by Ikeda Kikunae, a Japanese chemist who researched food at the beginning of the 20th century and named the aroma after the Japanese adjective 'delicious'. We were curious [...]
Expert interview with Godfrey Schmidt: The history and use of fermentation
Godfrey Schmidt has a PhD in biochemistry and works in the field of taste innovation. As an expert in his field, he provides us with an insight into the history of fermentation, cultural differences, and the role of fermentation in the production of yeast extract. Fermentation plays an important [...]
Five questions for Siegfried Kröpfl
Siegfried Kröpfl is Austria’s only vegan gourmet chef, teacher and restaurant consultant focussing on vegan cuisine. He works together with the Vegan Association Austria and worked as executive-chef for various high class hotels and restaurants in Vienna, among others for Tiergarten Schönbrunn, Restaurant Kuchlmasterei im 3. Bezirk, Hotel Bristol and Hotel [...]
A closer look at umami – the “fifth” taste
The popularity of yeast extract has a lot to do with its strong characteristic taste. This is also known as the umami taste and is similar to the savoury flavour of a meat bouillon. We’ve spoken to Prof. Dürrschmid from the Institute of Food Science at the University of Natural [...]
Fermentation – a new trend with a long history
When someone hears the word fermentation, often the first things that come to mind are grandma’s preserving jars in the cellar, pickled gherkins and beer. Nowadays, fermentation has been rediscovered and harnessed to produce new flavours in the international culinary scene. Chefs all over the world are getting creative to [...]
From fresh yeast to yeast extract: the production of a versatile ingredient
Although fresh yeast from the fridge is often on the shopping list for birthday cakes, yeast extract is primarily known as an ingredient in savoury dishes. What not many people know is that yeast extract is derived from fresh yeast. Our second article sheds light on the processes used in [...]
