Both cellular respiration and fermentation are forms of anaerobic respiration. The difference between the two is in the type of substrate used by each process.

Fermentation: Fermentation is the breakdown of organic compounds in the absence of air (anaerobic). It can occur in two ways: alcoholic fermentation or lactic acid fermentation. Alcoholic fermentation occurs when sugars are broken down into alcohol and carbon dioxide, with the help of yeast. Lactic acid fermentation occurs when glucose is metabolized by bacteria to produce lactic acid.

Cellular respiration: Cellular respiration is a metabolic pathway that converts chemical energy stored in food molecules into ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which releases energy for work done by muscles and other body tissues; it also produces heat as a by-product. There are three common types of cellular respiration: aerobic (with oxygen), anaerobic (without oxygen) and fermentation.

Last modified: September 4, 2022