Question

how will sugar, splenda, and equal impact fermentation? will fermentation occur? whybor why not?

Answer 1

• Fermentation is a metabolic process by which certain microorganisms can derive energy (by regeneration of NAD+) from different organic molecule (carbohydrate sources).
• Different organisms produce different types of enzymes to break down complex carbohydrates to products.
• Thus, depending upon the type of enzyme produced by the microorganism, a specific carbohydrate source is utilized and fermented to produce alcohol or acid and carbon dioxide.
• Important fermentation processes:

. Ethanol fermentation:

• Mainly by unicellular fungi like yeast and some bacteria.
• Requires enzymes Pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase.

Steps include:

• Pyruvate to acetaldehyde and release of carbon dioxide.
• NADH reduces acetaldehyde to Ethanol to regenerate NAD+.

Glucose 2 -->ethanol + 2 carbon dioxide
C6H12O6 -->2 C2H5OH + 2 CO2

• The condition and the type of sugar substrate determines the degree of fermentation and the amount and type of products generated.
• Sugars contain sucrose. Yeasts contain enzyme invertase, which converts disaccharide sucrose to monosaccharides glucose and fructose, which undergoes fermentation reaction to generate carbon dioxide and alcohol.
• Splenda is the brand name for of sucralose based artificial sweetener. Splenda is sugar free (do not have sucrose), but contain other carbohydrates (sweetening component and buking agent) like dextrose (glucose) and maltodextrin, which can undergo fermentation. However synthetic sucralose part may remain in its sugar form. Thus, there may be lesser CO2 emitted than sugar.
• Equal is also an artificial sweetener containing dextrose with maltodextrin, aspartame, acesulfame potassium.
• Thus equal will be fermentable, but giving less CO2.