Pomper, Seymour; Moore, Edward V.;

Preparation of free-flowing particulate yeast

Baker's yeast, having a moisture content of from about 65 to about 75 percent by weight, is provided in a free-flowing particulate form by dispersing throughout a particulate baker's yeast, having a moisture content of from about 65 to 75 percent by weight, a small but effective amount of a finely-divided insoluble salt of an alkaline earth metal, particularly calcium sterate, magnesium sterate, tricalcium phosphate, or mixtures thereof without added acid. The resultant baker's yeast exhibits increased flowability and is retained in free-flowing particulate form for extended periods of time under a variety of conditions. As compared to baker's yeast which has not been treated with the alkaline earth metal salt, the treated baker's yeast exhibits no loss in leavening activity.

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What is claimed is:

1. A process for preparing a particulate baker's yeast, having a moisture content of from about 65 to 75 percent by weight, comprising the steps of (a) incorporating into a particulate baker's yeast, having a moisture content of from about 65 to 75 percent by weight, an amount of an additive consisting essentially of an essentially hydrophobic, finely-divided, insoluble salt of an alkaline earth metal selected from the group consisting of calcium stearate, magnesium stearate, tricalcium phosphate, and mixtures thereof effective to maintain the particulate yeast free-flowing under normally encountered conditions of commercial storage without adversely affecting the leavening activity of the yeast as compared to the same particulate baker's yeast not containing said additive material, and (b) maintaining the moisture content of said admixture of particular baker's yeast and said additive material within the range of from about 65 to 75 percent by weight, wherein said admixture of particulate baker's yeast and said additive material contains no added hydrophilic material and no added acid.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein the amount of said additive is in the range of from about 0.2 to about 3.0 percent by weight of the yeast.

3. A process according to claim 2 wherein the amount of said additive is in the range of from about 0.2 to about 1.0 percent by weight of the yeast.

4. A process according to claim 1 wherein the moisture content of said particulate baker's yeast into which said additive material is incorporated and the moisture content of the admixture of particulate baker's yeast and additive material is from about 65 to 70 percent by weight.

5. A process according to claim 1 wherein the particle size of said finely-divided material is less than about 100 m.mu..

6. A process according to claim 5 wherein the particle size diameter of said particulate yeast is less than about 0.25 inches.

7. A process for preparing a baker's yeast, having a moisture content of from about 65 to 75 percent by weight, and free of added acid and added hydrophilic material, comprising the steps of (a) admixing with a particulate baker's yeast, having a moisture content of from about 65 to 75 percent by weight, an amount of an additive consisting essentially of an essentially hydrophobic, finely-divided, insoluble salt of an alkaline earth metal selected from the group consisting of calcium stearate, magnesium stearate, tricalcium phosphate, and mixtures thereof effective to maintain the particulate yeast free-flowing under normally encountered conditions of commercial storage without adversely affecting the leavening activity of the yeast as compared to the same particulate baker's yeast not containing said additive; and (b) maintaining the moisture content of said admixture of particulate baker's yeast and said additive within the range of from about 65 to 75 percent by weight, whereby the free-flowing character of the particulate yeast, based on a yeast particle size diameter of 0.05 inches, provides the following angles of repose under the following storage conditions:

Angle of repose less than about 50 for storage of four (4) days at 86.degree. F.;

Angle of repose less than about 50 for storage of seven (7) days at 77.degree. F.; and

Angle of repose less than about 60 for storage of seven (7) days at 77.degree. F. after one (1) day at freezing conditions.

8. A particulate baker's yeast having a moisture content of from about 65 to 75 percent by weight and containing an additive consisting essentially of an essentially hydrophobic, finely-divided material selected from the group consisting of calcium stearate, magnesium stearate, tricalcium phosphate and mixtures thereof, the amount of said additive being effective to maintain the particulate yeast free-flowing under normally encountered conditions of commercial storage without adversely affecting the leavening activity of the yeast, said baker's yeast containing no added hydrophilic material and no added acid.

9. A particulate yeast according to claim 5 having a moisture content of from about 65 to 70 percent by weight.

10. A particulate yeast according to claim 8 wherein the amount of said additive is in the range of from about 0.2 to 1. percent by weight of the yeast.

11. A particulate yeast according to claim 8 wherein the average particle size diameter of said particulate yeast is less than about 0.25 inches.