Editing Lactic acid fermentation (section)

==Biochemistry==
===Homofermentative process===
Homofermentative bacteria convert glucose to two molecules of lactate and use this reaction to perform [[substrate-level phosphorylation]] to make two molecules of [[Adenosine triphosphate|ATP]]:
:Glucose + 2 ADP + 2 P<sub>i</sub> → 2 Lactate + 2 ATP

===Heterofermentative process===
Heterofermentative bacteria produce less lactate and less ATP, but produce several other end products:
:Glucose + ADP + P<sub>i</sub> → Lactate + Ethanol + CO<sub>2</sub> + ATP
Examples include ''[[Leuconostoc mesenteroides]]'', ''[[Lactobacillus bifermentous]]'', and ''[[Leuconostoc lactis]]''.

===Bifidum pathway===
''[[Bifidobacterium bifidum]]'' utilizes a lactic acid fermentation pathway that produces more ATP than either homolactic fermentation or heterolactic fermentation:
:2 Glucose + 5 ADP + 5 P<sub>i</sub> → 3 [[Acetate]] + 2 Lactate + 5 ATP