fermentation

fer·men·ta·tion   (fûr'mən-tā'shən, -měn-)    n.   The anaerobic conversion of sugar to carbon dioxide and alcohol by yeast. Any of a group of chemical reactions induced by living or nonliving ferments that split complex organic compounds into relatively simple substances. Unrest; agitation.

fermentation

A chemical reaction in which sugars are broken down into smaller molecules that can be used in living systems. Alcoholic beverages, such as beer, wine, and whiskey, are made from the controlled use of fermentation. Fermentation is an anaerobic process.

Main Entry: fer·men·ta·tion
Pronunciation: "f&r-m&n-'tA-sh&n, -"men-
Function: noun
1 : a chemical change witheffervescence
2 : an enzymatically controlled anaerobic breakdown of an energy-rich compound (as a carbohydrate to carbon dioxide and alcohol or to an organic acid); broadly : an enzymatically controlled transformation of an organic compound

fermentation fer·men·ta·tion (fûr'mən-tā'shən, -měn-)
n.
Any of a group of chemical reactions that split complex organic compounds into relatively simple substances, especially the anaerobic conversion of sugar to carbon dioxide and alcohol by yeast.

fermentation   (fûr'měn-tā'shən)  Pronunciation Key  The process by which complex organic compounds, such as glucose, are broken down by the action of enzymes into simpler compounds without the use of oxygen. Fermentation results in the production of energy in the form of two ATP molecules, and produces less energy than the aerobic process of cellular respiration. The other end products of fermentation differ depending on the organism. In many bacteria, fungi, protists, and animals cells (notably muscle cells in the body), fermentation produces lactic acid and lactate, carbon dioxide, and water. In yeast and most plant cells, fermentation produces ethyl alcohol, carbon dioxide, and water.