health
Scientists find yeast in frozen mummy's guts, use it to make sourdough bread
Yeast has been growing in the guts of a frozen mummy called Oetzi the Iceman for thousands of years, scientists have discovered, telling AFP they used it to make a sourdough bread.
TL;DR
- Active, cold-adapted yeasts were found in the gut of Ötzi the Iceman, a mummy over 5,300 years old.
- Scientists successfully cultured these ancient yeasts and used them to bake sourdough bread.
- The yeasts likely entered Ötzi's body after his death and have persisted for millennia.
- The discovery offers insights into the ancient human microbiome and the mummy's complex ecosystem.
- The yeast's ability to consume phenol suggests potential applications in breaking down chemical contaminants.