Main Entry: fer·men·ta·tion

Pronunciation: \ˌfər-mən-ˈtā-shən, -ˌmen-\

Function: noun

1 : a chemical change with effervescence
2 : an enzymatically controlled anaerobic breakdown of an energy-rich compound (as a carbohydrate to carbon dioxide and alcohol or to an organic acid) ; broadly : an enzymatically controlled transformation of an organic compound