- Allows glycolysis to proceed when there is no oxygen → produces organic molecules, including alcohol and lactic acid, as waste products.
- Goal: To replenish NAD+, so glycolysis can make ATP (w/o oxygen)
- Uses substrate-level-phosphorylation
- Makes 2 ATP (less but quicker), 2 pyruvate and 2 NADH
- Occurs in cytosol NOT in the mitochondria (no oxygen present, no ETC).
Alcohol Fermentation
- Pyruvate loses 2 carbon dioxide molecules and then reduced by NADH
Result: NAD+ regeneration & ATP Waste: Ethanol and CO2