Question

Difference between conventional fermentation and biotransformation

Answer 1

The essential difference between fermentation and biotransformation is that a number of catalytic steps are present between transformations of a substrate(s) to the product in fermentation, while a biotransformation process; there are only one or two steps involved.

Answer 2

Conventional Fermentation:

• Fermentation is a 'metabolic process' in which microorganisms produces some chemical change in 'organic substrates' through the action of enzymes.
• It is also known as the "extraction of energy" from carbohydrates in the 'absence of oxygen'.

Biotransformation:

• Biotransformation is the change in chemical composition of a compound by an organism.
• The end products of the transformation are generally $\mathrm{CO}_{2}, \mathrm{NH}_{4} \text { or } \mathrm{H}_{2} \mathrm{O}$. It is also known as mineralization.

• Example of biotransformation is the chemical alteration of amino acids, nutrients, toxins and medicines in the human body.