fermentation
Sign in to savethumb|Phylogenetic tree of bacteria and archaea, highlighting those that carry out fermentation. Their end products are also highlighted. Figure modified from Hackmann (2024). Fermentation is a type of anaerobic metabolism that harnesses the redox potential of the reactants to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and organic end products. Organic molecules, such as glucose or other sugars, are catabolized and their electrons are transferred to other organic molecules (cofactors, coenzymes, etc.). Anaerobic glycolysis is a related term used to describe the occurrence of fermentation in organisms (
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Fermentation is a metabolic process that allows cells to break down organic molecules like sugars and produce energy (ATP) without requiring oxygen, by transferring electrons between organic compounds. This process is important because it enables many bacteria and other organisms to survive and generate energy in environments where oxygen is unavailable.
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Article
29 sectionsContents
- Definition
- Biological role and prevalence
- Substrates and products of fermentation
- Biochemical overview
- Biochemistry of individual products
- Ethanol
- History of bioethanol fermentation
- Lactate
- Hydrogen gas
- Glyoxylate
- Other
- In the broader sense
- Alternative protein
- Enzymes
- Modes of industrial operation
- Batch
- Fed-batch
- Open
- Continuous
- History of the use of fermentation
- Post 1930s
- Circular economy
- Anaerobic digestion
- Biofuel production
- Biochemical production
- Product production
- See also
- References
- External links
thumb|Phylogenetic tree of bacteria and archaea, highlighting those that carry out fermentation. Their end products are also highlighted. Figure modified from Hackmann (2024). Fermentation is a type of anaerobic metabolism that harnesses the redox potential of the reactants to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and organic end products. Organic molecules, such as glucose or other sugars, are catabolized and their electrons are transferred to other organic molecules (cofactors, coenzymes, etc.). Anaerobic glycolysis is a related term used to describe the occurrence of fermentation in organisms (usually multicellular organisms such as animals) when aerobic respiration cannot keep up with the ATP demand, due to insufficient oxygen supply or anaerobic conditions.
Fermentation is important in several areas of human society. Humans have used fermentation in the production and preservation of food for 13,000 years. It has been associated with health benefits, unique flavor profiles, and making products have better texture. Humans and their livestock also benefit from fermentation from the microbes in the gut that release end products that are subsequently used by the host for energy. Perhaps the most commonly known use for fermentation is at an industrial level to produce commodity chemicals, such as ethanol and lactate. Ethanol is used in a variety of alcoholic beverages (beers, wine, and spirits) while lactate can be neutralized to lactic acid and be used for food preservation, as a curing agent, or as a flavoring agent.