Saccharification

Saccharification is the process of breaking down complex carbohydrates like starch into simple sugars, primarily glucose. This transformation is essential for converting plant materials, such as grains or biomass, into fermentable sugars used in producing bioethanol or other bioproducts. Enzymes called amylases facilitate this process by cleaving the large starch molecules into smaller, more manageable sugars. Saccharification typically follows physical or chemical pretreatment of biomass and is a key step in biofuel production, enabling microorganisms to efficiently ferment sugars into ethanol.