1. They are used to make various Alcoholic beverages like -
a. Beer
b. Root beer and sodas
c. Distilled beverages like whisky and rum
d. Wine

2. Baking is one of the most widely used practices where yeast plays a main role. Baker’s yeast, most          commonly  Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is used as a leavening agent, which converts fermentable sugars present in the dough into carbon dioxide; thus causing the dough to expand or rise as the carbon dioxide forms pockets or bubbles. When baked it “sets” and the pockets remain, giving the baked product a soft and spongy texture.

3. Bioremediation- Yarrowia lipolytica
4. Industrial ethanol production- ethanol production from sugar has been harnessed by biotechnology to even manufacture ethanol fuel.
5. Kombucha- in symbiosis with acetic acid bacteria it is used to make a fermented sweetened variety of tea.
6. Nutritional supplements- excellent source of protein and vitamins, especially the B-complex vitamins and also naturally low in fat and sodium are popular among the vegans and other health conscious individuals. Certain brands of nutritional yeast, though not all, are fortified with vitamin B12, which is produced separately from bacteria.
7. Probiotics- Saccharomyces boulardii is commonly used to restore the natural flora in the bowels. By doing so they prevent reinfection of Clostridium difficile, reduce bowel movements in diarrhea predominant IBS patients; reduce symptoms of acute diarrhea in children, and reduce the incidence of antibiotic traveler’s and HIV/AIDS associated diarrheas.
8. Science- genetics and cell biology. Cell cycle in a yeast cell is very similar to that of man. This is used to study the basic cellular mechanics of DNA replication, recombination, cell division and metabolism of the yeasts. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is commonly used.
9. Yeast extract- Vegemite and Marmite, products made from yeast extract which are more like food additives or flavours.
10. Food spoilage- has been mentioned before. So remember if u forget about the existence of a certain food item for too long and our friends will set up camp there.
11. Recent advances even employ yeasts to generate electricity in microbial fuel cells.
12. Pathogenic yeasts- these are the yeast s that truly require much detailed study as it is important to know everything about offenders in any society. The mechanics of how they set up infection and why they do so can help us keep them in control and our human race safe.
Some species are opportunistic pathogens which cause infection in human with compromised immune system. Cryptococcus neoformans is a significant pathogen of such individuals causing Cryptococcosis. This disease is common in AIDS patients. The human body is unable to fight these imposters as the cells of these microbes, surrounded by a rigid polysaccharide capsule, prevents them from being recognized and hence engulfed and destroyed by our white blood cells.

We will now discuss candida in detail…..