07.01.03
In February 2001, Lesaffre et Cie, a privately owned company that has specialized in quality yeast products throughout the world since 1853, purchased Red Star Yeast & Products. Out of this union Lesaffre Yeast Corporation was formed.
At the time Red Star Yeast & Products was purchased, it was an established company with a long history in yeast. Discussing the company’s background was Richard Wine, manager, business development, sales and international. “Red Star was originally founded in 1882 as a small distillery called Meadow Springs Distillery in Milwaukee, WI,” he said. “At that time, yeast was nothing more than a byproduct from the process of manufacturing alcohol from grain. In the early 1900s, prohibition caused a major shift from the production of gin and other spirits to the production of primary grown yeast for the baking industry, which is the time when the Red Star name was adopted. In the 1950s, nutritional yeast evolved further and was sold to cereal and baby food manufacturers as well as the pharmaceutical industry.”
Mr. Wine discussed the history of yeast. “For centuries in beer making countries, a brewer would remove the yeast from the brewing keg and provide the yeast as a health tonic. This yeast strain, a fungus called Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be considered man’s oldest industrial microorganism,” he explained, adding, “In fact, hieroglyphics suggest that the ancient Egyptians were using yeast and the process of fermentation to produce alcoholic beverages and to leaven bread over 5000 years ago. The biochemical process of fermentation that is responsible for these actions was not understood and undoubtedly looked upon by early man as a mysterious and even magical phenomenon.”
Mr. Wine said it was not until the invention of the microscope followed by the pioneering scientific work of Louis Pasteur in the late 1860s that yeast was identified as a living organism and the agent responsible for alcoholic fermentation and dough leavening. Shortly following these discoveries, he said, it became possible to isolate yeast in pure culture form. “With the newfound knowledge that yeast was a living organism along with the ability to isolate yeast strains in pure culture form, the stage was set for commercial production of baker’s yeast, which began around the turn of the 20th century,” said Mr. Wine.
Red Star derives its primary grown nutritional yeast from pure strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown on mixtures of cane and beet molasses. After the fermentation process is complete, the yeast is harvested, thoroughly washed, pasteurized and dried on roller drum dryers.
According to the company, its yeast is grown specifically for its nutritive value, which enables it to offer a wide variety of yeast products to the nutraceuticals market. “Our manufacturing customers choose from Red Star’s array of vitamin fortified and non-fortified nutritional yeast, mineral fortified yeast products and organically bound mineral yeast,” Mr. Wine offered.
The company’s fortified mineral yeast products contain selenium, chromium, manganese, copper, molybdenum and zinc. Its yeast products also contain protein, dietary fiber, vitamins and additional functional components such as beta-1,3 glucan, trehalose, mannan and glutathione. The company claims that studies have shown these components to have potential health benefits for improved immune response, reduction of cholesterol and anti-cancer properties.
The consensus at Lesaffre Yeast Corporation, according to Mr. Wine, is that there is significant growth potential and opportunities in several market segments. “We currently service six different markets all requiring specific products. These include nutritional supplements, functional foods, vegetarian foods, snack foods, sports nutrition products and animal/feed supplements,” he said. “Continued research and new product development, along with listening to our customers’ requests for new and innovative products and different applications will pave the way for future growth.”—T.W.
Lesaffre Yeast Corporation
433 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Telephone: 414-615-4027
Fax: 414-615-4003
E-mail: nutritionalyeast@redstaryeast.com
Website: www.redstaryeast.com
At the time Red Star Yeast & Products was purchased, it was an established company with a long history in yeast. Discussing the company’s background was Richard Wine, manager, business development, sales and international. “Red Star was originally founded in 1882 as a small distillery called Meadow Springs Distillery in Milwaukee, WI,” he said. “At that time, yeast was nothing more than a byproduct from the process of manufacturing alcohol from grain. In the early 1900s, prohibition caused a major shift from the production of gin and other spirits to the production of primary grown yeast for the baking industry, which is the time when the Red Star name was adopted. In the 1950s, nutritional yeast evolved further and was sold to cereal and baby food manufacturers as well as the pharmaceutical industry.”
Mr. Wine discussed the history of yeast. “For centuries in beer making countries, a brewer would remove the yeast from the brewing keg and provide the yeast as a health tonic. This yeast strain, a fungus called Saccharomyces cerevisiae can be considered man’s oldest industrial microorganism,” he explained, adding, “In fact, hieroglyphics suggest that the ancient Egyptians were using yeast and the process of fermentation to produce alcoholic beverages and to leaven bread over 5000 years ago. The biochemical process of fermentation that is responsible for these actions was not understood and undoubtedly looked upon by early man as a mysterious and even magical phenomenon.”
Mr. Wine said it was not until the invention of the microscope followed by the pioneering scientific work of Louis Pasteur in the late 1860s that yeast was identified as a living organism and the agent responsible for alcoholic fermentation and dough leavening. Shortly following these discoveries, he said, it became possible to isolate yeast in pure culture form. “With the newfound knowledge that yeast was a living organism along with the ability to isolate yeast strains in pure culture form, the stage was set for commercial production of baker’s yeast, which began around the turn of the 20th century,” said Mr. Wine.
Red Star derives its primary grown nutritional yeast from pure strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown on mixtures of cane and beet molasses. After the fermentation process is complete, the yeast is harvested, thoroughly washed, pasteurized and dried on roller drum dryers.
According to the company, its yeast is grown specifically for its nutritive value, which enables it to offer a wide variety of yeast products to the nutraceuticals market. “Our manufacturing customers choose from Red Star’s array of vitamin fortified and non-fortified nutritional yeast, mineral fortified yeast products and organically bound mineral yeast,” Mr. Wine offered.
The company’s fortified mineral yeast products contain selenium, chromium, manganese, copper, molybdenum and zinc. Its yeast products also contain protein, dietary fiber, vitamins and additional functional components such as beta-1,3 glucan, trehalose, mannan and glutathione. The company claims that studies have shown these components to have potential health benefits for improved immune response, reduction of cholesterol and anti-cancer properties.
The consensus at Lesaffre Yeast Corporation, according to Mr. Wine, is that there is significant growth potential and opportunities in several market segments. “We currently service six different markets all requiring specific products. These include nutritional supplements, functional foods, vegetarian foods, snack foods, sports nutrition products and animal/feed supplements,” he said. “Continued research and new product development, along with listening to our customers’ requests for new and innovative products and different applications will pave the way for future growth.”—T.W.
Lesaffre Yeast Corporation
433 E. Michigan Street
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Telephone: 414-615-4027
Fax: 414-615-4003
E-mail: nutritionalyeast@redstaryeast.com
Website: www.redstaryeast.com
