Scientists Bake Sourdough Bread Using Yeast From 5,300-Year-Old Mummy

Scientists have produced sourdough bread using yeast recovered from the preserved intestines of a mummy found in an Italian glacier. The mummy, discovered in 1991 in the Schnal Valley, dates to approximately 5,300 years ago. Researchers isolated the yeast and applied it in a standard bread-making process.

A team member told AFP the group may explore brewing beer with the same yeast strain. The published research, however, centered on non-food applications for the discovery. The mummy is currently displayed at the Archaeological Museum of Bolzano. Photos from a 2011 presentation show the preserved remains during an official exhibition.