Fermentation is a specific type of heterotrophic metabolism that uses organic
carbon instead of oxygen as a terminal electron acceptor. This means that these
organisms do not use an electron transport chain to oxidize NADH to NAD+
and therefore must have an alternative
method of using this reducing power and maintaining a supply of NAD+ for the proper
functioning of normal metabolic pathways (e.g. glycolysis). As oxygen is not
required, fermentative...