# yeast for media



## hukilausurfer (Aug 31, 2009)

ok, so ive been looking around locally and cant find any brewers yeast. this is the last ingredient i need to finish my media. well people have been telling me that you can use regular live yeast in the media. so what is the reason for the yeast? protein? please let me know.
thanks, Joe


----------



## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

quote "One of the limiting items in fruit fly media is protien, it is a good source of protien allowing for an increase in production. 

Typically baker's yeast is added before the flies to help prevent overgrowth of competing organisms like molds or bacteria. As Scott noted, the flies do bring it in on thier feet and this will colonize a media so the addition of baker's yeast is a hedge to help prevent something else getting a head start on the yeast. "endquote

From http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/food-feeding/33736-brewers-yeast-2.html

It can be ordered from a number of online sources including some of the sponsors. 

Ed


----------



## Lance (Sep 8, 2008)

If you looking for a source of protein for media id look into soy protein powder.
Its has a protein percent of 90%. Just a thought.


----------



## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Lance said:


> If you looking for a source of protein for media id look into soy protein powder.
> Its has a protein percent of 90%. Just a thought.


It also has a high phytoestrogen level and we don't know the potential effects of the phytoestrogens on the frogs. 

Ed


----------



## snooknfrogs (Sep 25, 2009)

Try Josh's frogs... I ordered from him... Good price for the amount he sends you!

JP


----------



## Dragonfly (Dec 5, 2007)

I also have used nutritional yeast that I purchase from the bulk foods section of a local grocery store. Much less expensive than brewers yeast and it is essentially the same. It is a little bit flakey and use a sifter to bring it down to a smaller particle just as I do with the potato flakes. 

Works very well.


----------



## azure89 (Jan 5, 2009)

I got my brewer's yeast from a health food store, not expensive and a little goes a long way


----------



## winyfrog (May 30, 2009)

I also purchase mine from my local health food store.


----------



## johnc (Oct 9, 2009)

If you live near a Trader Joe's, they sell Brewers yeast and it's cheap.


----------



## SeanyG (Dec 18, 2009)

I subbed active yeast in my media and the yeast is making my media rise alittle, im guessing its doing the smae thing in bread; creating CO2. Should I have waited for this process to stop b4 adding the flies? I added a bunch to the media after mixing it and looked at it about 4 hours later and I had about 20 dead flies in it at the bottom. This is what I used:

1/4 c potato flakes
1 tbls vinigar
half a banana mashed
1/8 protein powder
maybe 1/4 a package of active yeast
and warm water added till mixture was pudding like.

I just wanted to make a small batch.


----------



## Dragonfly (Dec 5, 2007)

SeanyG said:


> I subbed active yeast in my media and the yeast is making my media rise alittle, im guessing its doing the smae thing in bread; creating CO2. Should I have waited for this process to stop b4 adding the flies? I added a bunch to the media after mixing it and looked at it about 4 hours later and I had about 20 dead flies in it at the bottom. This is what I used:
> 
> 1/4 c potato flakes
> 1 tbls vinigar
> ...



Except for the vinegar, this looks like you were trying to make a kind of potato-banana bread. The active yeast will not work correctly inside the mix to create a working culture. And yes the CO2 would wipe out the flies.... The primary purpose of the brewers yeast (or in my cultures, nutritional yeast) is to provide protein/ food for the ffs. Adding the live yeast will always result in a fermented dough of some sort and more than likely, result in a kind of gluey lump for a short while, then a lump which will dry out after the yeast dies... Back in the day, I could have little lumps left when I made bread at home. The heat of baking kills the yeast and allows the cellular structure made in the dough by the live yeast fermenting to remain. Very nice for bread and not so useful for ffs.


----------



## SeanyG (Dec 18, 2009)

Yah they all died, haha. Although it smelled like rubbing alcohol.


----------



## hukilausurfer (Aug 31, 2009)

i started a culture without the brewers yeast and it has maggots. i think that the brewers yeast would help though.


----------



## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Dragonfly said:


> Except for the vinegar, this looks like you were trying to make a kind of potato-banana bread. The active yeast will not work correctly inside the mix to create a working culture. And yes the CO2 would wipe out the flies.... The primary purpose of the brewers yeast (or in my cultures, nutritional yeast) is to provide protein/ food for the ffs. Adding the live yeast will always result in a fermented dough of some sort and more than likely, result in a kind of gluey lump for a short while, then a lump which will dry out after the yeast dies... Back in the day, I could have little lumps left when I made bread at home. The heat of baking kills the yeast and allows the cellular structure made in the dough by the live yeast fermenting to remain. Very nice for bread and not so useful for ffs.


So given that the fruit flies are going to transport live yeast from thier prior cultures can you explain to me why you think the use of live yeast is a problem as it helps prevent contamination and overgrowth of competing organisms? 

Ed


----------



## Leidig (Apr 10, 2009)

What's people opinion on fleischmann's yeast? Thats all I could find around me. Is it just as good? This is the recipe I used:

4 cups of Potato Flakes
1/2 cup of Fleischmann's Yeast
1/2 cup of Powdered Sugar 

I mixed a half a cup of that mixture with 1/4 of hot water and a 1/4 of vinegar. I used vinegar because I couldn't find any Methylparaben locally.

The flies haven't died or reproduced, but I only started yesterday. I also used this recipe for melangaster and hydei. Is that going to work?


----------



## ChrisK (Oct 28, 2008)

Leidig said:


> What's people opinion on fleischmann's yeast? Thats all I could find around me. Is it just as good? This is the recipe I used:
> 
> 4 cups of Potato Flakes
> 1/2 cup of Fleischmann's Yeast
> ...


Yeah it will, the yeast should be brewers yeast instead of bakers yeast (but use bakers yeast to sprinkle a little on top of the culture). During the winters I use 1/3 cup of the dry media to 1/3 cup water and 1/3 cup vinegar to account for drying out (as well as keeping the cultures in a big sterilite tub to keep the humidity up).


----------



## dam630 (Dec 11, 2009)

I found some at GNC, but it is $11.99 for a 1lb can.
How long can brewers yeast be kept fresh?
Obviously a 1lb can would last a lifetime.


----------



## Leidig (Apr 10, 2009)

dam630 said:


> I found some at GNC, but it is $11.99 for a 1lb can.
> How long can brewers yeast be kept fresh?
> Obviously a 1lb can would last a lifetime.


So you found Brewers Yeast at GNC Health Stores?


----------



## dam630 (Dec 11, 2009)

Yes, GNC Health Store.

Another question though...
I may have gotten something confused here.

Are we supposed to use brewer's yeast as part of the media recipe or do we sprinkle a little brewer's yeast on the culture just before flies are added?
Or...
Are we supposed to use "active" yeast sprinkled on the culture just before flies are added?

Inquiring minds want to know...


----------



## laylow (Apr 6, 2009)

My understanding is that you use brewers yeast in the media. Then you sprinkle active yeast on the top




dam630 said:


> Yes, GNC Health Store.
> 
> 
> Are we supposed to use brewer's yeast as part of the media recipe or do we sprinkle a little brewer's yeast on the culture just before flies are added?
> ...


----------



## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Yes, adding a little bit of the active yeast on the top helps to inhibit colonization by other less desirable organisms (like some molds) and may (stress may here) help in getting egg deposition started a little quicker. 

Ed


----------



## jcarbone61 (Apr 27, 2008)

I have been buying 1 lb bags of brewers yeast from dartfrogmegastore ...jason sells it for a very good price. he also has larger bags available


----------

