Dough compositions containing temperature sensitive yeast and a temperature sensitive yeast strain and process of making

A refrigeratable dough comprising flour, water and yeast, the yeast exhibiting the following characteristics:

• (a) capable of proofing dough at growth temperatures between about 12.degree. C. and about 38.degree. C.;
• (b) thereafter being capable of having the proofing process substantially terminated upon an increase in the temperature of the yeast to greater than about 38.degree. C. and not more than about 50.degree. C.;
• (c) upon termination of the proofing process, capable of being stably stored, without substantial further metabolic activity.

An unbaked, yeast-leavened refrigeratable dough product comprising a dough formed of water, flour and yeast, wherein the yeast is a temperature sensitive yeast that is substantially inactivated within a temperature range of 25.degree. C. to 43.degree. C., and is an obligate aerobe.

A dough composition comprising yeast strain of the genus-species Saccharomyces cerevisiae characterized by a thermally labile pyruvate kinase enzyme activity that substantially prevents fermentative anaerobic growth of the yeast strain at or above about 36.degree. C.

A dough composition containing yeast strain of the genus-species Saccharomyces cerevisiae characterized by a thermally labile pyruvate kinase enzyme activity that substantially prevents anaerobic growth by the yeast strain at or above about 36.degree. C. and characterized by obligate aerobic respiration only once exposed to a temperature of about 12.degree. C. or less.

A dough comprising a yeast strain selected from the genus-species Saccharomyces cerevisiae deposited with the ATCC having one of an ATCC number consisting of 74124, 74125, 74126, 74127, 74128, 74129, 74130, 74131, and 74217.

A refrigeratable dough system comprising a container and a dough sealed within the container, the dough comprising a yeast having an ATCC No. of 74217, wherein the dough system remains intact when exposed to a temperature at or greater than about 36.degree. C. for at least 14 days.

A method of making a dough composition containing a yeast made by a method for making a yeast strain of the genus-species Saccharomyces cerevisiae characterized by a thermally labile pyruvate kinase enzyme activity that substantially prevents anaerobic fermentative growth of the yeast strain at or above about 36.degree. C. and further characterized by an obligate aerobic respiration only once exposed to a temperature of about 12.degree. C. or less, comprising:

• providing a yeast strain of the genus-species Saccharomyces cerevisiae characterized by a thermally labile pyruvate kinase enzyme activity that substantially prevents anaerobic fermentative growth of the yeast strain at or above about 36.degree. C.;
• providing a yeast strain of the genus-species Saccharomyces cerevisiae characterized by obligate aerobic respiration only once exposed to a temperature of about 10.degree. C. or less;
• mating the first yeast strain with the second yeast strain to produce a yeast strain of the genus-species Saccharomyces cerevisiae characterized by a thermally labile pyruvate kinase enzyme activity that substantially prevents anaerobic fermentative growth of the yeast strain at or above about 36.degree. C. and further characterized by obligate aerobic respiration only once exposed to a temperature of about 10.degree. C. or less.