Structural Basis and Molecular Mechanism of Yeast Biosorption: for Food Safety and Nutrition

Yeast is widely used in food processing, yet its unique cellular structure and the resulting potential for biosorption remains underutilized. A literature search was performed in databases including PubMed and ScienceDirect using a combination of relevant keywords, including yeast biosorption, food contaminants, bioactive compounds, and biosorption enhancement. The search was specifically focused on studies pertaining to food or food‐related systems. This narrative review elucidates that rapid, passive surface biosorption mediated by the yeast cell membrane (primarily the mannan layer) conforms to pseudo‐second‐order kinetics and the Langmuir/Freundlich isotherm, while active, energy‐driven intracellular accumulation dominates at trace levels. For food safety, optimized yeast‐mediated processes achieve 70%–90% removal of heavy metals (Pb 2+ , Hg 2+ , Cd 2+ , Cu 2+ ) and mycotoxins (patulin, ochratoxin A) in complex matrices, significantly reducing their in vivo bioavailability. In addition, yeast can serve as a protective carrier for sensitive bioactive substances, improving their gastrointestinal stability and bioavailability (e.g., the bioavailability of tea polyphenols increased from 12.2% to 73.2%). Biosorption is further upgraded via surface‐display genetic engineering, alkaline pretreatments (improving polyphenol loading by 93.2%), and physical intensification (ultrasonic treatment or vacuum perfusion, etc.). Ultimately, transitioning to industrial food applications requires characterization of complex yeast‐matrix interactions and the strategic utilization of active metabolic networks in viable yeast platforms.