Sustainability

Wild yeast species could become the green proteins of the future

A new research project at the DTU National Food Institute will investigate whether wild yeast species with a high protein content can be used to make plant-based foods tastier and more sustainable.

Senior Researcher Claus Heiner Bang-Berthelsen and postdoctoral researcher Manca Vertot are both working on the research project YBIS, which investigates wild yeast species. Here they are pictured in the laboratory at the DTU National Food Institute. Photo: Lene Hundborg Koss

Tuesday 13 January 2026

Lene Hundborg Koss

The yeast we know from baking and brewing is a well-established part of food production. It is quick to convert sugar into alcohol and reliably delivers predictable flavour and leavening performance. But there are also wild yeast species which, until now, have mostly been used for niche products such as spontaneously fermented beer and natural wine. Wild yeasts are less predictable, but in return they are rich in high-quality proteins.

The project Yeast-Based Ingredients for Sustainable Food Production (YBIS) will determine whether wild yeast species can become a key ingredient in the plant-based foods of the future. The project is funded by Green Development and Demonstration Programme (GUDP).

“We know that wild yeast species hold great potential, and much of it remains entirely unexplored. It is not just about protein content, but also about functional properties in foods, including texture and, not least, contributions to flavour and aroma,” says Claus Heiner Bang-Berthelsen, Senior Researcher at the DTU National Food Institute, who leads the project.

Research is being conducted in collaboration with, among others, postdoctoral researcher Manca Vertot.

Flavour with depth and umami

An important part of the research is to examine how different yeast strains affect flavour. Several wild yeast species naturally produce aromatic compounds that can add appealing flavour to otherwise neutral plant ingredients.

“We hope to identify strains that can bring nutty or toasted notes, and others that can contribute fruity or umami character. We believe this research could prove extremely important for plant-based foods, which are often criticised for having a flat flavour profile and lacking umami,” says Claus Heiner Bang-Berthelsen.

Conventional vs wild yeast species

Conventional yeasts:

The most widely used species is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, known as baker’s yeast or brewer’s yeast, and used for bread, beer and wine, as well as in the industrial production of enzymes, ethanol and vitamins.

Conventional yeasts ferment quickly and predictably, with well-known characteristics for flavour, leavening performance and alcohol production.

Wild (non-conventional) yeasts:

Often originate from nature and are not standardised for industrial use. Primarily used in niche production such as spontaneously fermented beer and natural wine. They have a high protein content (up to around 40%) and can provide new flavour profiles.

Wild yeasts are less studied, but hold significant potential for plant-based foods.

A strain collection featuring rare yeast species

The researchers have established a unique and extensive strain collection, the DTU National Food Institute Culture Collection (NFICC) , which includes rare yeast species with distinctive properties. Many of them have never been tested in food production, and the researchers expect to discover new traits that can be used to support more sustainable food production.

“If we can combine high-quality protein with strong functional and sensory properties, we have the potential to redefine what plant-based products can be,” says Claus Heiner Bang-Berthelsen.

The project is being carried out in collaboration with the industrial partners CurrMe, Nordzucker, Kohberg and Rømer Foods, as well as the Danish Technological Institute, and will run from 1 November 2025 to 31 December 2028.