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As yet, active in fermentation (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

yeast

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'fermentation' is the definition.
Although both the answer and definition are singular nouns, I can't see how they can define each other.

'as yet active' is the wordplay.
'active' indicates an anagram (the letters are active/moving).
'as'+'yet'='asyet'
'asyet' with letters rearranged gives 'YEAST'.

'in' acts as a link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for yeast that I've seen before include "Baker's raising agent" , "Androgynous" , "What makes bread rise" , "Dough-raising agent" , "Fungus able to convert sugar into alcohol" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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