Biology of Ethanol-Producing Microorganisms

Abstract

The production of ethanol by microorganisms as a result of the fermentation of substrates such as sugars or starch is a process that predates recorded history. The uses of ethanol can be divided into a number of categories: (1) potable ethanol in beer, wine, sake, cider, and perry, a variety of fermented fruit juices, and in distilled beverages such as whiskey, gin, vodka, brandy, rum, and liquors; (2) solvent ethanol in the laboratory, in pharmaceutical preparations such as tonics and cough syrups, as a solvent for hop constituents, and in cosmetics; (3) as a cosurfactant in oil-water microemulsions; (4) as an antiseptic and sterilant; and (5) as a fuel in automobiles either en its own or more usually admixed with gasoline. It should not be forgotten that by far the largest volume of ethanol produced via fermentation is employed for potable purposes. Consequently, brewing, viticulture, and enology and distilled beverages are biotechnological industries that make a significant contribution to the economy of most countries around the world.