Fermentation is a slow degradation process whereby large carbohydrate molecules (e.g. starch) are broken down into smaller molecules (e.g. ethylacohol and \(CO _{2}\) ) through the agency of enzymes produced by micro - organisms. The various steps are summarized below:
\(2\left( C _{6} H _{10} O _{5}\right)_{\text {m(3) }}+n H _{2} O \stackrel{\text { diasase }}{\leftrightharpoons} n C _{12} H _{22} O _{11(4)}\)
maltose
\(2\left( C _{12} H _{22} O _{11}\right)_{\text {iaq })}+ H _{2} O _{(T)} \stackrel{\text { malase }}{\stackrel{ }{\rightleftharpoons}} 2 C _{6} H _{12} O _{6(\text { aq })}\)
\(2 C _{6} H _{12} O _{6(\text { a) }} \stackrel{\text { malase }}{\rightleftharpoons} 2 CH _{3} CH _{2} OH _{\text {(a) }}+2 CO _{2(\xi)}+\) energy
(Eltyal chohol)