Isolation and Identification of Yeasts

Yeasts are unicellular eukaryotic microorganisms. They exist either as free-living or symbionts of plants and animals. Yeasts are playing a significant role in the production of vitamins, fuel ethanol, antibiotics, and have a major role in food industry in the production of beverages (alcohol), bread, kefir, and other fermented food products. In addition, they are serving as decomposers. But some yeasts species are opportunistic human pathogens such as Candida albicans that causes candidiasis. And also, to fulfill the demand created by enhanced population for the food, it is necessary to isolate yeast organisms due to its beneficiaries in food and medical industry. The main aim of this chapter is to identify and isolate yeast cells based on morphological and physiological (biochemical) traits.