Simply speaking, process of simultaneous saccharification fermentation was as follow: the pretreated biomass was pre-saccharified by cellulase in reactor at an optimal  condition for enzymolysis. After a short time, about 4-12h, part of glucose was produce in this reactor, the fermentation condition was changed for ethanol fermentation, then the stain was inoculated into the reactor. The strain could use the glucose to grow and produce ethanol, meanwhile, the cellulose was saccharified to glucose. Co-fermentation always means several strains were add into a reactor and produce the ethanol. For example, some stains could produce cellulase.

Dear Kimverly,

I must disagree with answer given by Zhang.

Simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) is a process where biomass after pretreatment is mixed with water, enzymes and microorganisms able to  consume both hexoses and pentoses (Check attached files). Therefore no separate hydrolysis (even short) is done (this is something called semiSS(C)F).

Thank you very much for answering Mr. Zhang and Mr. Witold. I just want to ask further, if you put the SSCF process in plant design, does it mean that we only have 1 tank for the SSCF? Thank you very much.

Dear Kimverly,

It means you have one tank for the whole bioprocess (hydrolysis, hexose and pentose fermentation). You also have other tanks/reactors for pretreatment.

Thank you very much mr. Witold