Ethanol production by yeast cells immobilized in open-pore agar

An open-pore agar matrix has been shown to be suitable for the entrapment of microbial whole cells required for use in reactions that involve cell growth and gas evolution. Beads of porous agar with entrapped yeast cells have been used for the continuous fermentation of sugar cane molasses to ethanol, without apparent bead rupture, even after periods of 3 mo of use. The agar gel does not erode during prolonged operation, unlike porous gelatin cross-linked with glutaraldehyde.