Fact Sheet

Active Dry Yeasts and Yeast Cultures

Introduction
In the dairy industry several distinctly
different types of yeast products are
marketed and are incorrectly grouped
together
in
terms
of
their
characteristics, their mode of action
and their effect on the animal. One of
the major distinctions within products
that are often referred to as "Yeasts" is
that of Active Dry Yeast and Yeast
Culture.
There is no similarity
between these two dramatically different types of products.
Active dry yeasts
Active dry yeasts (or "live yeasts")
consist of viable active yeast cells that
directly affect the rumen fermentation
process.
An active dry yeast is
produced by drying a cream yeast
under specific conditions to preserve
the viability and fermenting power. It is
a pure product without any of the
carriers/fillers
found
in
yeast
culture products.
There are thousands of different strains
of yeast, each with its own identity and
function. Each strain has a specific
genetic make up and has its own
characteristics. Companies producing
active dry yeasts profile and select
particular strains based on their

function and the specific outcome that

is desired. The technology to select
strains for specific functions is being
utilized by the wine making, brewing,
baking and, more recently, by the
animal and human nutrition industries.
The selection process is complex and
requires strict selection procedures to
obtain and ensure strain purity.
Lallemand has become the global
technological leader in screening and
selecting yeast strains based on
specific functions. Lallemand scientists
use "DNA fingerprinting" technology
to identify specific strains and help
verify that they will produce the desired
outcome
in
brewing,
baking,
winemaking or nutrition.

An active dry yeast is dramatically different

from a yeast culture.

Yeast Cultures
Unlike active dry yeasts that are metabolically
active in the rumen, yeast cultures contain
negligible counts of live cells and do not have a
probiotic effect on rumen fermentation.

DNA fingerprints of
four different
Saccharomyces
cerevisiae yeast strains

Selection and Screening of SC 1077

The species of yeast, Saccharomyces
cerevisiae, is on the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration GRAS (Generally Regarded As
Safe) list, meaning it can be direct fed to
animals. However, under the species name of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae there are thousands
of different strains. Each strain is unique in terms
of its characteristics and its effect on a given
fermentation process.
Lallemand researchers, through a three-year
research program, identified a specific yeast
strain that would enhance and improve the
rumen environment, help control pH and
improve animal performance. That strain, SC
1077 is now commercially available to dairy
producers as Levucell SC, rumen specific yeast.
Today there are more than 40 peer reviewed
published papers on the mode of action and
benefits SC 1077.

They are made by drying a cream yeast

containing nutritional metabolites onto a grain
carrier. Regardless of the strain, all cream
yeasts have a similar nutritional composition
(amino acids, B vitamins, etc) therefore, specific
strain identity is not as important in yeast culture
products.
Yeast culture products contain dead yeast cells,
the metabolites made by the yeast cells when
fermenting, and a carrier upon which the cream
yeast is dried. The beneficial effects of these
metabolites are not well defined and are often
referred to as unidentified growth factors.
Typically, a yeast culture product is fed at larger
amounts (2 oz./head/day) than active dry yeast
products (0.5 - 5 grams/head/day).
Example of a yeast culture

An active dry yeast, such as Levucell SC, rumen

Diamond V
specific yeast, is fed at a significantly lower level
magnification x10
than yeast culture products because it is the
probiotic effect of the yeast,
not the direct nutritional effect, Parameters/Yeast Sources Yeast Culture
that benefits the animal.

Example of an active dry yeast

Levucell SC
magnification x10

Active Dry Yeast

Proportion of Live Cells

(% in Weight)

0-1%

100%

N Live Cells (cfu/g)

102 - 104

>15 x 109

Active Product

Fermentation metabolites
Not identified (enzymes?
vitamins?)

Live yeast;Some products are

well identified strains, others
are generic

Process

Fermenting medium
contains corn, wheat midds,
corn gluten, rye midds, malt,
cane molasses...
Drying process with
fermenting medium and microorganisms dried together
Deactivated microorganisms + eventual dilution
onto carrier

Selection of strain
Multiplication in
fermentors with molasses (rich
in sugar)
Separation of cream yeast
from molasses
Drying in specific
conditions to preserve
viability + eventual coating if
necessary

Diamond V is a registered trademark of

Diamond V Mills, Inc.

LALLEMAND ANIMAL NUTRITION

Tel: (800) 692-4700 Email: LAN_NA@lallemand.com

www.lallemand.com