Fermentation

Bread rises to fluffy perfection, and yogurt thickens into creamy goodness. All because of a process called fermentation.

It is a natural process in which glucose is broken down in the absence of oxygen into simpler molecules, generating two ATP molecules.

There are two main types of fermentation. The first is alcoholic fermentation, which is carried out by yeast and some bacteria. This process produces ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide.

During bread-making, bakers add yeast to the dough, which converts the sugars into carbon dioxide. This causes the bread to rise while the alcohol evaporates.

The second type, lactic acid fermentation, occurs in animals, bacteria, and fungi.

During intense exercise, when oxygen isn't supplied quickly enough, our muscles rely on lactic acid fermentation to continue functioning.

Here, the pyruvate produced by glycolysis is converted to lactic acid in the absence of oxygen.

Lactic acid fermentation is also essential in food production. Certain bacteria that produce lactic acid are used to ferment milk into cheese and yogurt.