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Abstract

A method of producing sugars and converting the sugars to ethanol in which particulate biomass resulting from hydrolysis of the hemicellulosic content of the biomass is subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulosic content to glucose and fermentation of the glucose to ethanol. The particulate biomass resulting from hydrolysis of the hemicellulosic content of the feed stock is reduced to very fine particle size before enzymatic hydrolysis. The hydrolysis of cellulose and the fermentation of the resulting glucose may be carried out separately or they may be carried out simultaneously. The pentoses and hexoses resulting from hydrolysis of the hemicellulose may be subjected to fermentation separately to produce ethanol or they may be fermented simultaneously with the fermentation of the glucose derived from the cellulose.

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