We all love a delicious bite of cheese and bread, relishing it while enjoying our favorite movie. But what if you take a bite into a loaf of bread only to find yeast that has been living inside a human body for over 5,300 years? That is exactly what scientists have recently discovered, and the results are surprisingly delicious. This surprising discovery also reveals how ancient microbes are still alive and active today.
Yeast Discovered in a Man's Body, Dead and Frozen for Over 5,300 Years
Ötzi, also known as the Iceman, was discovered in 1991 by two German hikers in South Tyrol, northern Italy. He had been frozen for more than 5,300 years, dating back to even before the Egyptian pyramids were built. He was killed by an arrow in the back while crossing the Alps between Austria and Italy. Since then, his remains have been kept at minus six degrees Celsius, the same temperature at which he remained frozen in his icy tomb. According to research published in the Microbiome journal, an Italian team unexpectedly discovered living yeast in Ötzi's body. "What we didn't expect to find was yeast," said Mohamed Sarhan, lead study author from Eurac Research Institute in Bolzano, Italy, speaking to AFP.
How Did the Yeast Reach Inside His Body?
Scientists discovered four different yeasts capable of surviving sub-zero temperatures in Ötzi's guts, skin, and brownish melted water from his body. These yeasts are usually found in extremely cold temperature conditions like those in Antarctica, which might suggest that they entered Ötzi's body after his death. Genetic testing showed that the DNA damage in the Iceman's gut yeasts was "very comparable to the original microbes," meaning the yeast got into his body shortly after he died, Sarhan explained. "These yeasts have accompanied Ötzi on his long journey through the millennia," said study co-author Frank Maixner in a statement.
Making Sourdough from the Dead Man's Guts' Yeast?
The scientists reproduced the gut yeast in a fridge and naturally wondered if they could bake with it. "If you tell anyone you have yeast, they immediately ask: Can we use it for bread?" Sarhan told AFP. The first attempt failed, but after three months of effort, they succeeded. "We had a very, very good sourdough," Sarhan said with a laugh. When asked about brewing beer with the yeast, he responded: "It's on the list."
