Codex adopts first global baker’s yeast standard to strengthen international trade and quality consistency
New international benchmark establishes common quality, labeling and composition requirements for baker’s yeast used across the global baking industry.
SWITZERLAND – The Codex Alimentarius Commission has adopted the world’s first international standard for baker’s yeast, establishing harmonized specifications for the ingredient in a move expected to improve product quality, facilitate international trade and support greater regulatory alignment across global food markets.
Approved during the Commission’s 49th session held in Geneva, Switzerland, the new standard provides a common framework covering product definitions, composition, food additives, labeling, storage requirements and analytical methods for baker’s yeast used in bakery applications.
Jointly administered by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), the Codex Alimentarius Commission develops internationally recognized food standards that serve as important reference points for governments, manufacturers and global food trade.
The standard defines baker’s yeast as Saccharomyces cerevisiae produced from pure strains and used as a biological leavening agent to generate carbon dioxide and flavor during the baking process.
It classifies baker’s yeast into fresh and dry categories. Fresh products include block, compressed, granulated, crumbled, liquid and cream yeast, while dry formats comprise active dry, instant dry and semi-dry yeast.
To improve consistency across global markets, the standard establishes moisture specifications ranging from 60% to 75% for compressed and granulated fresh yeast, 71% to 86% for liquid and cream yeast, 2% to 10% for active and instant dry yeast, and 15% to 26% for semi-dry yeast.
It also recommends a pH range of 3.0 to 7.5 for liquid and cream yeast.
While the framework harmonizes physical and compositional requirements, it does not prescribe universal fermentation or leavening performance thresholds, meaning manufacturers will continue to evaluate yeast performance based on individual production processes and application requirements.
The standard also aligns food additive provisions with the Codex General Standard for Food Additives, specifying the categories of emulsifiers, antioxidants, acidity regulators, stabilizers, humectants and packaging gases permitted for different yeast formats.
In addition, it establishes guidance on hygiene, storage, packaging and labeling, with fresh yeast required to be stored under refrigerated conditions.
Standardized analytical methods based on AOAC and ISO procedures have also been adopted to support consistent testing of moisture content and pH across laboratories and supply chains.
Although Codex standards are voluntary and require adoption into national legislation before becoming legally enforceable, they are widely recognized as international benchmarks under the World Trade Organization (WTO) framework.
As a result, the new standard is expected to simplify procurement specifications, strengthen quality assurance programs and facilitate cross-border sourcing for yeast manufacturers, bakeries and food processors.
Development of the standard began in 2021 following a proposal jointly submitted by Angel Yeast and the China National Research Institute of Food and Fermentation Industries.
The initiative was approved as a new Codex work item in 2024, with China leading the drafting process alongside co-chairs France and Türkiye.
The electronic working group involved 25 Codex member countries and one observer organization, ensuring broad international participation throughout two rounds of consultation.
“We are proud to have contributed to the development of this standard under the framework of the Codex Alimentarius Commission,” said Deng Juanjuan, Head of Technology at Angel Yeast.
“Its adoption will strengthen coordination and cooperation across the global baker’s yeast industry.”
The adoption reflects the growing importance of internationally harmonized food standards as manufacturers expand global supply chains and food regulators seek greater consistency in product quality, safety and trade requirements.
For the global baking industry, the new benchmark provides a common technical language that is expected to enhance confidence among suppliers, regulators and food manufacturers alike.
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