Fermentation (biochemistry)

Fermentation is a process of energy production in a cell under anaerobic conditions (with no oxygen required). In common usage fermentation is a type of anaerobic respiration, however a more strict definition exists which defines fermentation as respiration under anaerobic conditions with no external electron acceptor. Fermentation does not necessarily have to be carried out in an anaerobic environment, however. For example, even in the presence of abundant oxygen, yeast cells greatly prefer fermentation to oxidative phosphorylation, as long as sugars are readily available for consumption .
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