Brewer's yeast

Brewer's yeast suppliers and sourcing guide

Brewer's yeast is Saccharomyces cerevisiae recovered after beer fermentation, then washed, usually debittered to remove hop compounds, heat-inactivated and dried to a powder or flakes. Because it is a by-product, its makeup depends on the brewery, the beer and the debittering process, and it may carry gluten from barley wort. Brands buy debittered powder for supplements and food; some suppliers sell primary-grown yeast under the same name, so the source belongs on the specification.

See suppliers What to ask for on the COA

Category: Probiotics, cultures and yeasts
Also known as: Saccharomyces cerevisiae · debittered brewers yeast · spent brewers yeast
Facts checked: November 2026

Forms and grades of brewer's yeast

Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.

Debittered powder
Washed and debittered spent yeast, the usual form for supplements and foods.
Non-debittered
Yeast that keeps its hop bitterness, used mostly in feed and some traditional products.
Flakes or granules
Agglomerated forms for tableting and retail packs.
Primary-grown brewer's type
Yeast grown on purpose rather than recovered from brewing and sold as gluten-free; confirm which kind you are buying.

What to check on the COA

Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.

Protein: Crude protein by Kjeldahl or Dumas combustion against a minimum.
Gluten: Gluten by ELISA (R5 method) for spent brewing yeast, since wort from barley can carry over.
Moisture: Loss on drying against the supplier's maximum, which keeps flakes and powder free-flowing.
Microbiology: Total plate count, coliforms, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, mold, and absence of Salmonella; for inactive yeast, a viable yeast count confirming the cells were inactivated.
Heavy metals: Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury by ICP-MS against the supplier's specification.

Storage, lots and expiry

Storage and shelf life

Keep powder sealed in lined bags or drums, cool and dry and away from light, since the yeast takes up moisture and cakes. Reseal opened containers promptly. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification, with retest of moisture and microbiology for stock held past it.

Lots and expiry dates

Composition, bitterness and gluten level vary with the brewery and beer the yeast came from, so record the source and check each lot's COA against your specification. Rotate stock FEFO.

Regulatory status

Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.

21 CFR 172.896 permits dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces fragilis) and dried torula yeast in food, provided the total folic acid content does not exceed 0.04 milligram per gram of yeast.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)
Health Canada's Probiotics monograph lists live Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with the common names baker's yeast and brewer's yeast, as a medicinal ingredient; non-viable forms such as heat-killed cells are excluded from that monograph.
Source: webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)
7 CFR 205.605(a) requires yeast used as food or a fermentation agent in products labeled organic to be organic if its end use is human consumption; nonorganic yeast may be used when organic yeast is not commercially available.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)

This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.

Brewer's yeast suppliers

Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.

We are checking brewer's yeast suppliers now

Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.

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Frequently asked questions

What forms of brewer's yeast can brands buy?

Common forms include debittered powder, non-debittered, flakes or granules and primary-grown brewer's type. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.

What should the COA for brewer's yeast include?

Expect protein, gluten, moisture, microbiology and heavy metals, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.

How should brewer's yeast be stored?

What is the regulatory status of brewer's yeast?

21 CFR 172.896 permits dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces fragilis) and dried torula yeast in food, provided the total folic acid content does not exceed 0.04 milligram per gram of yeast. Health Canada's Probiotics monograph lists live Saccharomyces cerevisiae, with the common names baker's yeast and brewer's yeast, as a medicinal ingredient; non-viable forms such as heat-killed cells are excluded from that monograph. 7 CFR 205.605(a) requires yeast used as food or a fermentation agent in products labeled organic to be organic if its end use is human consumption; nonorganic yeast may be used when organic yeast is not commercially available.

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