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Frequently Asked Questions

About Yeast
About Pakmaya

About Yeast

What Is Yeast?

Yeast is a single-celled microorganism found in nature in different varieties. There are yeasts almost everywhere: in wheat, chickpeas and similar legumes, in grapes and even in apple peel.

Where Can You Find Yeast?

When we say yeast, many of us only think of bakery and pastry products, yogurt and other dairy products. The microorganisms that turn milk into yogurt or kefir are lactic acid bacteria, not yeasts. They thicken the milk and make it sour.

What Is Baker's Yeast?

Its scientific name is Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It is a group of microorganisms that enrich the taste of bakery and pastry products, help them rise, become fluffier and easier to digest.

What Are the Yeast Types?

  • Fresh Yeast
  • Instant Dry Yeast
  • Active Yeast

 

Fresh Yeast

Fresh yeast, also known as compressed yeast, is a type of yeast with a high water content. Thanks to its water content, the yeasts are alive, which is why yeast must be stored in the refrigerator, at low temperature. Fresh yeast in cube form is fragile and can be easily crumbled, thus making it easy to be added in dough.

It has a shelf life of approximately 40 days and it doesn’t need special conditions of use.

Instant Dry Yeast

Instant yeast is a type of yeast in fine granules and is obtained by drying the yeast using a special technique. It is easy to use and to dose and it doesn’t require dissolving – it can be directly mixed with the flour.

Due to its low water content, it can be stored at room temperature in its packed form. It has an extended shelf life.

Active Dry Yeast

Active dry yeast is a yeast with large granules and a very low water content. It is easy to use and to dose and the yeast granules must be dissolved in water or milk before use. It can also be used in bread machines.

Due to its low water content, it can be stored at room temperature in its packed form. It has an extended shelf life.

How Much Yeast Should I Use to Make Bread?

The quantity varies depending on the recipe, but, on average, the dosage is 5-6% of the amount of flour for fresh yeast or 1.5-3% of the amount of flour for dry yeast.

How Do I Use the Fresh Yeast?

Fresh yeast can be used as it is or by dissolving it in warm milk or water with 1 teaspoon of sugar, to make it active.

How Do I Use Instant Yeast?

It can be used directly by adding it into the flour, without needing to be dissolved in water or milk.
1 sachet of Instant Dry Yeast 10g is recommended for 750g of flour (for doughs with no sugar).
1 sachet of Dry Yeast for Pizza 7g for 350g of flour, for elastic doughs for pizza, focaccia, ciabatta.
1 sachet of Sweet Dough Yeast 15g for 1 kg of flour, for all doughs with a high sugar content (>5%).

How Do I Use Active Dry Yeast?

Active dry yeast requires dissolving in warm water or milk before use. Depending on the recipe, use 1-2 tablespoons of Pakmaya active dry yeast for 1 kg of flour.

Can I Use Fresh Yeast Instead of Dry Yeast?

Yes, you can. You can use approximately three times the amount of fresh yeast as the amount of dry yeast specified in the recipe.

What Does Baker’s Yeast Do?

The main function of the yeast cell is to make bread and pastry-like foods more fluffy, spongy and flavorful.

Is Yeast Only Used for Making Bread and Buns?

Although yeast is generally associated with products such as buns and bread, it can also be used to prepare the dough of many recipes.

Is Active Dry Yeast the Same as Instant Yeast?

No, it is not. While Active Dry Yeast is a type of yeast with large granules, Instant Dry Yeast is smaller in granule size compared to it.

Are Pakmaya Yeasts Gluten-Free?

Yes! All of the yeasts produced by Pakmaya are gluten-free. You can make gluten-free recipes by making sure that all of the other ingredients used in the recipe are also gluten-free.

Does Pakmaya Yeast Contain Gmos?

No, it does not.

Why Isn’t My Dough Rising With Yeast?

There can be various reasons for your dough not rising when you prepare it. While it is not certain, some methods can be tried for the dough to rise: increasing the temperature (without baking the dough), adding yeast again to the dough, kneading the dough, etc.

What Is Yeast Like on the Inside?

Yeast dough is a healthy food source containing many ingredients. It contains proteins, carbohydrates, lipids (fats), various minerals and vitamins. If you want to know more about yeast and examine its contents in detail, check out our The Story of Yeast page.

What Is The Shelf Life Of Yeast?

The recommended consumption dates of the yeasts vary depending on the storage conditions and product type. The recommended consumption date stated on the product packages can be taken as reference.

How do I store Fresh Yeast Dough?

Fresh yeast dough should be stored in the refrigerator at a temperature between 0 and +4°C. If you don't use the entire package for a recipe, you can close it so that it doesn't take in air and store it in the refrigerator according to the recommended consumption date on the package.

How Do I Store Instant Dry Yeast?

Our Instant Dry Yeast product should be stored at room temperature (below 25°C) based on the recommended consumption date stated on the package. For the opened package, it is recommended to close the open part so that it does not take in air, store it in the refrigerator and consume it within 48 hours.

How Do I Store Active Dry Yeast?

Our Active Dry Yeast product should be stored at room temperature (below 25°C) based on the TEET stated on the package. For the opened package, it is recommended to close the open part so that it does not take in air and store it in the refrigerator and consume it within 48 hours.

What is the share of the yeast in the total cost of bread produced in bakeries?

When raw materials, energy, operating, and other costs are calculated, the yeast used constitutes approximately 1.5-2.5% of the total cost. This is an approximate cost average for both summer and winter seasons.

About Pakmaya

Who is the owner of Pakmaya?

Pakmaya is part of the Pak Group, a global brand.

Where are the Pakmaya yeast factories located?

Pakmaya has 4 yeast factories, one in Romania and three in Turkey. The factories are located in Pașcani, Romania, and İzmit, Düzce and İzmir in Turkey.

Can Pakmaya products be purchased online?

We do not have our own online shop at Pakmaya. You can buy our Professional products from our distributors and the Home Use products from all store formats at national level, in-store or online (hypermarkets, Cash & Carry, supermarkets, minimarkets).

Didn't find the answers you were looking for?

You can check our Frequently Asked Questions section for all your questions about our products and company, or reach out to us via the Contact Form if you don’t find the answers you need.

Learn about our company!

Located in Pașcani, Iași, ROMPAK SRL is the newest factory in Pak Group and the only fresh yeast factory in Romania. It was built to produce under Pakmaya license, covering the needs of customers in Romania and other European markets.