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yeast

(Science: fungus) Yeast is the colloquial name for single-celled members of the fungal families, ascomycetes, basidiomycetes and imperfect fungi that tend to be unicellular for the greater part of their life cycle.

Commercially important yeasts include saccharomyces cerevisiae, pathogenic yeasts include the genus candida.

See: schizosaccharomyces pombe. A commercial leavening agent containing yeast cells; used to raise the dough in making bread and for fermenting beer or whiskey.Any of various single-celled fungi that reproduce asexually by budding or division.Pertaining to organisms used in industry due to the advantageous enzymes that they secrete to catalyse a particular chemical reaction. Yeast is responsible for the creation of alcohol.