Yeast extract is a versatile food ingredient derived from the same fresh yeast used for bread baking and beer production. The staple ingredient has been used by chefs for more than half a century as a savory seasoning in many foods including soups, meats, crackers, snack foods, and ready-to-eat meals like macaroni and cheese. With a concentrated flavor called “umami” – which means savory in Japanese – yeast extract is a versatile and welcome flavoring in vegetarian dishes, since it contains no ingredients from animal origin.

Yeast extract is a natural ingredient composed of a variety of amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and high-quality proteins. It is a rich and healthy blend of natural components just like its basic form fresh yeast. And since yeast extract is not made up of any animal ingredients, it’s especially well-suited for use in vegetarian dishes.

Yeast extract, used in small amounts, adds taste to a wide assortment of foods by bringing out and balancing flavors in them – just like herbs and spices do. For people who don’t eat meat products, yeast extract provides a good option for robust, full-flavored meaty taste.

In the U.S., yeast extract, like many other food ingredients like potato starch and rosemary extracts, isn’t generally sold as a stand-alone ingredient. You can find it in some specialized food stores. When it is found in specialty stores, yeast extract is usually packaged as a spread in products like Marmite and Vegemite. Typically, food producers and restaurants add very small amounts of yeast extract to add savory flavor to prepared foods.

Absolutely not. In fact, the process to manufacture yeast extract is completely natural. It is derived from the same yeast that is used in the production of bread, beer, and wine, and produced without the use of synthetic or artificial ingredients. These yeasts are GMO free.

So, in addition to being a rich source of vitamins and proteins, the versatility of yeast extract is attractive to a wide range of chefs who use it in soups, stews, meats, and sauces to provide a delicious, savory flavor – just like they use other ingredients including herbs, spices, and vinegar to bring out the flavors, aromas, and tastes in their dishes.

Yes, absolutely! Even though it provides a meaty taste to food, yeast extract does not contain ingredients from animal origin and is therefore suitable for all vegetarian and vegan dishes.

Most yeast extract is naturally gluten free as it is made from baker’s yeast, but yeast made from brewer’s yeast may contain gluten. An example of this is Marmite, the most popular brand of yeast extract in the UK, which is made from brewer’s yeast and contains slightly more than the 20 ppm gluten standard, making it unsuitable for those with Celiac Disease.

Currently in the U.S., manufacturers do not need to stipulate whether or not their yeast extract is made from baker’s or brewer’s yeast, so the safest way to check if your yeast extract product contains gluten or not is to look for the term ‘gluten-free’ marked on the label.

No, in fact, just the opposite is true. Yeast extract and mono-sodium glutamate (MSG) are not the same ingredient. Chefs and food companies use yeast extract because it is a natural ingredient derived from fermentation which brings a wholesome taste to food. MSG, on the other hand, is a concentrated and synthetic ingredient.

Yeast extract contains naturally occurring glutamate (also known as glutamic acid). This can also be found in other fresh products such as tomatoes, peas, and mushrooms.

Our body also produces glutamate regardless of the food we consume. Indeed, it is naturally present in saliva and breast milk. It is also one of the many natural components of yeast extract, in a concentration roughly equivalent to 5%.

Yeast extract is often mistaken for MSG, a synthetic flavor enhancer that is 100% glutamate salt, but it is a completely different ingredient.

Yeast extract is classed as a GRAS (generally recognized as safe) ingredient by US regulations. Since yeast extract is natural, it’s able to add savory flavor to a wide range of foods without the need to add chemically derived flavor enhancers. And because yeast extract is based on amino acids, it doesn’t take much to meaningfully add taste to a great many foods. In fact, some yeast extracts can reduce the salt in food formulations by up to 50% – making it much easier to enjoy healthier foods without sacrificing flavor. Yeast extract is a proven safe ingredient that replaces salt and strengthens the cooking and baking process.

There is no difference between yeast extract and autolyzed yeast extract. Including the word “autolyzed” when identifying yeast extract as an ingredient refers to the process of autolysis, the scientific term used to describe the process used to make yeast extract.

Bakers, brewers, and chefs have been using yeast in foods and beverages for almost 4,000 years, all the way back to the ancient Egyptians. Yeast is a living organism, so it’s not really made, it’s fermented in a similar process to making sauerkraut or beer.

Yeast is a basic ingredient of yeast extract. Natural enzymes break down yeast protein into taste-delivering parts known as yeast extract.

Discover more about the history of yeast extract

Yeast extract is similar to vanilla extract or almond extract, in that it provides concentrated flavor in food. It gives your mouth a pleasant, savory sensation known as umami. And combining ingredients and influencing taste is what cooking is all about, so yeast extract works well to add healthy taste and bring out and balance flavors in a wide range of products.

Yeast extract naturally contains a variety of beneficial components, such as B12, a vital vitamin known for its role in red blood cell production and nervous system function. Because its components come directly from natural yeast, yeast extract possesses a rich mix of protein compounds. The amino acid profile and taste of yeast extract are similar to beef bouillon, or a hearty broth or stock.

Yeast extract contains a rich source of protein. Its origin, natural yeast, is composed of a rich mix of proteins and amino acids that are also found in yeast extract.