Heat is the “Yeast†of Our Problems: How Temperature Affects the Fermentation Process of Baker’s Yeast

Abstract

Yeast is a fundamental key in many human processes and industries. Baker’s yeast is a fungus that can undergo fermentation and gives off carbon dioxide as a byproduct. We designed this experiment to determine how temperature affects the fermentation process in yeast and to test an ideal temperature to maximize the process. We set up three temperature scenarios to represent an ideal temperature of 35°C, 10°C above the ideal temperature (45°C), and 10°C below the ideal temperature (25°C). Over four ten minute trials per treatment we found that yeast fermenting at 45°C yielded a 20% increase in carbon dioxide production. Our results indicate that 35°C may not be the true ideal temperature for yeast fermentation.