Yeast
| Yeast | |
| Object date | 4000+ years old |
| Place of Origin | First written history from ancient Egypt |
| Designer | Nature |
| Manufacturer | Various food producers |
| Materials | Single-celled microorganisms |
by student Mõtus Lõmaš Kama
Yeast has been used in various cultures for thousands of years (NASA, 2006). Its main uses have been baking leavened bread and fermentation of alcoholic beverages such as beer or wine.
Over the past 10 or so years the food industry has seen a strong shift towards craft and artisanal production such as microbreweries, specialty coffee roasteries, bakeries and kombucha makers.
Now, with the pandemic and people having to spend more time at home, the use of yeast in cooking and producing food has gained even more popularity. Driven by stay-at-home boredom or in some cases empty supermarket shelves (V&A, 2020), using yeast to make craft beer, sourdough bread and kombucha at home has become a trendy hobby for many individuals.
NASA (2006, November 3). Planets in a Bottle — more about yeast. Retrieved from: https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/msad16mar99_1b/
V&A Blog (2020, May 11). Pandemic Objects: Flour and Yeast [Blog post]. Retrieved from: https://www.vam.ac.uk/blog/design-and-society/pandemic-objects-flour-and-yeast
Image
Picture taken by student, 2020.
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