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yeast
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Cluster of budding yeast cells with round green bodies and small protrusions, shown against a dark purple background.
Making ancient Egyptian beer
A full round loaf of sourdough bread and a sliced half loaf rest on a cooling rack, showing the bread's golden crust and airy, open crumb interior.
Small brown mushrooms growing at the base of a tree.
Behind the scenes: How Samuel Adams beer is made
Fruit flies: The hidden secret to better beer flavors?
Notice the growth of Penicillium and yeast
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Cluster of budding yeast cells with round green bodies and small protrusions, shown against a dark purple background.
yeast Budding yeast cells.

yeast

fungus
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yeast, any of about 1,500 species of single-celled fungi, most of which are in the phylum Ascomycota, only a few being Basidiomycota. Yeasts are found worldwide in soils and on plant surfaces and are especially abundant in sugary mediums such as flower nectar and fruits. There are hundreds of economically important varieties of ascomycete yeasts; the types commonly used in the production of bread, beer, and wine are selected strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Some yeasts...

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