Due to a lack of oxygen, pyruvate cannot form acetate/ acetyl. To allow respiration to continue, the electrons, hydrogens and NAD must be recylced. Pyruvate forms ethanol, and releases Co2. This allows the recycling of the molecules, so ATP can still be produced, albeit in much smaller quantities.
Ethanol is a 2 carbon molecule.
This reaction also happens with yeast (and this is often mentioned in exams).
Ethanol is poisonous.
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