Fermentation Is the Metabolic Action of Bacteria

In fermentative digestion, molecular substrates are broken down by the action of bacteria and other microorganisms. Enzymatic hydrolysis of large molecules is an essential part of fermentative digestion Just as it is for glandular digestion. The major difference between the two processes is that the enzymes of fermentative digestion are microbial in origin, rather than coming from the host animal. Other major dif­ferences between fermentative and glandular digestion involve the rate of reactions and the extent of alteration of the sub­strate molecules. In general, fermentative digestion is much slower than glandular digestion, and the substrates are altered to a much greater degree.