When baking in the kitchen, its essential to ensure that the ingredients you cook with are fresh. Fresh ingredients can offer better flavor and texture—especially when working with baked goods. For most ingredients, its easy to tell if something is fresh or not. Fresh ingredients will smell, feel and taste as theyre supposed to. In comparison, spoiled ingredients may emit an unpleasant odor, slimy texture, or sour taste.
Yeast, however, is one ingredient that has a tricky expiration date. When stored properly, dried yeast can last for a long time. And even after it has spoiled, it doesnt show many signs of it. While old or inactive yeast wont immediately produce an off-putting taste, smell, or texture, it can ruin your baked goods. When added to a recipe, inactive yeast wont work as it should, resulting in a dense and stiff dough rather than a light and airy one. If you recently purchased yeast and are worried about how long it will last, keep scrolling. In this guide, well teach you how to store active dry yeast so that you dont have to worry about it spoiling before the expiration date.
Baker’s tip: Only activated yeast (a.k.a. yeast that’s been mixed with liquid) dies in the freezer. Dry, inactivated yeast can and should be stored in an airtight container in the freezer to keep it fresh for as long as possible.
Proof Yeast if You Are Uncertain
If youre worried that the yeast on hand might be spoiled, proof it before adding it to a recipe. Doing so will help you better determine if the yeast is active and could prevent you from ruining a great recipe.
When storing opened yeast, remember to place labels on the outside of the packaging indicating the given expiration date. Doing so will help encourage you to use the yeast before it expires and prevent you from using inactive yeast.
Storing Yeast in the Freezer Is the Best Way to Extend its Shelf Life
If you like to buy yeast in bulk, then storing it in the freezer is an excellent option. Though some manufacturers claim that freezing dry yeast results in damaged yeast cells and less flavor, its not actually the case. Instead of hurting the yeast cells, freezing them puts the cells in a state of suspension, allowing the yeast to thrive until youre ready to use it.
Can you FREEZE YEAST? (Homebrewing)
FAQ
Will yeast work after freezing?
What happens if you freeze dry yeast?
How do you activate frozen yeast?
What happens when you freeze fresh yeast?
Does freezing yeast kill yeast?
The freezer is quite a harsh environment since it’s so cold, so it can suggest that it may be able to kill or at least damage yeast over time. Freezing yeast dramatically improves the shelf life of both dry and fresh yeast. In some cases, frozen yeast can for years before it dies.
Can one get sick from eating uncooked yeast?
The consumption of raw biological yeast is not recommended under any circumstances. This is because its ingestion can cause bloating, colic, constipation, and diarrhea. In addition, it can also increase the risk of fungal infections, especially in people with serious illnesses or compromised immune systems.
What happens if you put yeast in the freezer?
Yeast can become inactive in the freezer, but only with improper storage or a long period of time. When putting microorganisms in the freezer, it doesn’t necessarily kill them but puts them into a state of hibernation. In this state, they’re not active and won’t do anything, but they will be as good as new once properly thawed out.
Can yeast be frozen?
Plenty of bakers find that freezing their yeast is a great way to store it for long periods of time. Any kind of yeast can be frozen to extend its life. Frozen yeast can last months or even years longer than if they were to be stored in a cupboard or fridge. It should be tightly sealed in an airtight container for the best results.