Question

What happens when Sugar (molasses) is fermented?

Answer 1

• Fermentation is an anaerobic process in which the release of energy from glucose takes place.
• Molasses is a source of Sugar.
• In the process of fermentation, molasses is diluted to three times by adding water.

$$\begin{gathered} {\mathrm{C}}_{12}{\mathrm{H}}_{22}{\mathrm{O}}_{11}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)\stackrel{\mathrm{Invertase}}{\to }{\mathrm{C}}_6{\mathrm{H}}_{12}{\mathrm{O}}_6\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{C}}_6{\mathrm{H}}_{12}{\mathrm{O}}_6\left(\mathrm{aq}\right) \\ \mathrm{Sucrose}\mathrm{Glucose}\mathrm{Fructose} \\ \left(\mathrm{Molasses}\right) \end{gathered}$$

• Sugar undergoes fermentation in presence of Zymase (enzyme) to form Ethanol and Carbon dioxide.
• The chemical reaction is,

$$\begin{gathered} {\mathrm{C}}_6{\mathrm{H}}_{12}{\mathrm{O}}_6\left(\mathrm{s}\right)\stackrel{\mathrm{zymase}}{\to }2{\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_5\mathrm{OH}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)+2{\mathrm{CO}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right) \\ \mathrm{Glucose}\mathrm{Ethanol}\mathrm{Carbon}\mathrm{dioxide} \end{gathered}$$

• Therefore, Ethanol is produced in the Fermentation of Sugar.