By Team Aakash Byju's
Let us understand the basics of fermentation before we start learning the process.
Fermentation is a type of respiration process that occurs in plants when there isn't enough oxygen to perform aerobic respiration.
It is the oxidation of glucose through a series of reactions under anaerobic conditions.
– Alcohol fermentation – Lactic acid fermentation.
Based on the nature of its products fermentation is classified into two types:
In alcohol fermentation, pyruvic acid is reduced to CO2 and ethanol by pyruvic acid decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase.
The end products of the above reaction are two moles of ethyl alcohol, carbon dioxide and ATP. E.g. plants, yeasts.
In lactic acid fermentation, lactate dehydrogenase catalyzes the conversion of pyruvate into lactate or lactic acid.
NADH+H+ is the reducing agent which is reduced to NAD+ in both alcoholic and lactic acid fermentation.
These fermentations (i.e, alcohol and lactic) are harmful because of the end products.
For example, when the concentration of alcohol exceeds about 13% in alcoholic fermentation, yeast poisons to death.
During prolonged activity, lactic acid accumulates in muscle cells and causes minor muscle cramps and pain throughout the body.
Fermentation is utilized in a variety of sectors to generate dairy products, antibiotics and chemicals.
Hope these notes help you to understand this concept well. Your friends too need these, don't they? Share with them..