Food flavoring Torula, in its inactive form (usually labeled as
torula yeast), is widely used as a flavoring in processed foods and pet foods. It is often grown on wood liquor, a byproduct of
paper production, which is rich in wood sugars (
xylose). It is pasteurized and
spray-dried to produce a fine, light grayish-brown powder with a slightly yeasty odor and gentle, slightly
meaty taste. Like the flavor enhancer
monosodium glutamate (MSG), torula is rich in
glutamic acid. Therefore, it has become a popular replacement among manufacturers wishing to eliminate MSG or hide flavor enhancer usage in an ingredients list. It also enables the marketing of "all-natural" ingredients.
Cyberlindnera jadinii (which in these contexts is often still labelled with its synonym
Candida utilis) can be used, in a blend of various other yeasts, as secondary
cheese starter culture "... to inoculate
pasteurised milk, which mimic the natural yeast flora of raw milk and improve cheese
flavour. Other functions of the added yeast organisms are the neutralisation of the
curd (lactate degradation) and
galactose consumption."
Insect trap Torula finds accepted use in Europe and California for the organic control of
olive flies. When dissolved in water, it serves as a food attractant, with or without additional pheromone lures, in McPhail and OLIPE traps, which drown the insects. In field trials in
Sonoma County, California, mass trappings reduced crop damage to an average of 30% compared to almost 90% in untreated controls. ==See also==