Lactic Acid Fermentation Equation, Reactants, and Products

Lactic acid fermentation equation is of great importance as it says the total pathway or process of lactic acid fermentation in a short sentence.

Lactic acid fermentation equation and reactants:

The Lactic acid fermentation equation is usually described as.

Glucose ­­­­­­­+ ADP + NADH → Lactic acids + ATP + NAD+.

Although the lactic acid fermentation equation must be written more clearly to make good sense.

In Figure 1, you can see the lactic acid fermentation equation where lactic acid fermentation occurs in two steps.

In the first step, Glucose is converted to pyruvic acids through the glycolysis process. In glycolysis, 2 ADP and 2NAD+ are converted to 2 ATP and 2NADH.

In the second step, pyruvic acid is converted to lactic acid with the conversion of 2NADH to 2NAD+. In this step, NAD+ is regenerated to continue the glycolytic process.

Therefore, the lactic acid fermentation equation is written as the following formula.

Glucose ­­­­­­­+ 2ADP +2NAD+ → Pyruvic acid + 2 ATP +2NADH; Pyruvic acid + 2NADH → Lactic acids + 2 NAD+.

• The lactic acid fermentation reactants are Glucose, ADP, NADH. Other carbohydrates such as lactose, maltose, etc are also involved in lactic acid fermentation.
• The lactic acid fermentation products are lactic acid, ATP, NAD+. There is a large collection of products of lactic acid fermentation that are given on our website.
• Pyruvic acid is an intermediate product of both alcoholic and lactic acid fermentation. But it is an end product of glycolysis.

But there are several equations of Lactic acid fermentation, as lactic acid is produced in different ways.

In homolactic pathway, lactic acid fermentation equation is

Glucose + 2 ADP + 2 P_i → 2 lactate + 2 ATP.

In heterolactic pathway, lactic acid fermentation equation is

Glucose + ADP + P_i → lactate + ethanol + CO₂ + ATP.

In Bifidium pathway, lactic acid fermentation equation is

2 glucose + 5 ADP + 5 Pi → 3 acetate + 2 lactate + 5 ATP.

See More:

RELATED ARTICLE:

• How many ATPs are produced in fermentation.
• What are the End Products of Fermentation.
• Products of Fermentation.
• Why is nad+ so important in fermentation.
• A list of fermented foods and nutritional benefits.
• 10 Applications of fermentation in Biotechnology

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