Fermentation and the production of ethanol

1. Fermentation and the production of ethanol By Olivia Bates

2. Introduction

3. Ethanol Fermentation is a form on anaerobic respiration which is primarily used by yeast when oxygen is not present . Ethanol Fermentation is also referred to as Alcohol Fermentation. Fermentation Ethanol is produced during the process of fermentation. Yeast is added to a sugar solution and left in the absence air for several days. This is an anaerobic exercise.

4. Demijohn of wine. Make wine at home. Fermentation is used for making food, wine, beer, tea and bread. It is used to make products such as yoghurt, cheese and soy sauce. fermentation can refer to the use of yeast to change sugar into alcohol or the use of bacteria to create lactic acid in certain foods.

5. Fermentation has been used for thousands of years, but it is a slow process and only produces a 15% ethanol solution. However there are other methods of producing ethanol. A new alternative of making ethanol involves the use of genetically modified E.coli bacteria. These bacteria have had a gene introduced to them that is capable of converting all types of carbohydrates found in plant cells to ethanol. Genetically modified E.coli can produce ethanol from waste biomass such as sugar cane residues, corn husks, wood and other waste organic material.

6. Three comparisons of making ethanol

7. Fermentation of wine The process of fermentationinwine is the catalyst function that turns grape juice into an alcoholic beverage. During the fermentation process yeast interacts with sugars in the juice to create ethanol. When making wine the temperature and speed of fermentation is an important consideration as well as the amount of oxygen present at the start of the fermentation.

8. Bibliography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermentation_(wine) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermentation 21st century science (pages 104-107)