Question

How are lactic acid fermentation and alcoholic fermentation similar? How are they different?

Answer 1

The incomplete oxidation of organic molecules such as glucose, lactose, etc in presence of anaerobic conditions is known as fermentation.

Complete answer:
1)Both alcoholic fermentation and lactic acid show similarities because they both are fermentation processes and both fermentation occurs in absence of oxygen.
2)The products obtained in the alcoholic fermentation of glucose and lactic acid fermentation of lactose are different. The products obtained in alcoholic fermentation if glucose is lactate and energy and the products obtained in lactic acid fermentation of lactose give carbon dioxide and ethanol.
3)Fermentation involves many enzymes, the lactic acid fermentation involves enzymes such as pyruvate decarboxylase and lactate dehydrogenase and alcoholic fermentation involves alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme and pyruvate decarboxylase.
4)The steps of alcoholic fermentation involve glycolysis, decarboxylation, and reduction and the steps of lactic acid fermentation are hydrolysis, glycolysis, and reduction.
5)Alcoholic fermentation is always an intracellular process but lactic acid fermentation can be both intracellular or extracellular.

Note: The lactic acid fermentation occurs in organisms such as yeast, lactobacillus, and also muscle cells in humans undergo lactic acid fermentation, the lactic acid fermentation can be used in the preparation of products such as cheese, yogurt, etc. Alcoholic fermentation occurs in organisms such as yeast and other small microorganisms, the alcoholic fermentation can be used in the production of fermented products such as wine, beer, bread, etc.