First, a source of starch or sugar, which could be an agricultural by-product, is fermented to produce lactic acid the same substance made by the body during exercise, only in this case it comes from the bacteria exercising themselves in the fermentation process.

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He admits that it is not simple to pull the sugars out of non-food material like pulp or wood waste, but says that even factoring in the extraction process, the final cost should be lower than using corn starch or sugar cane, both of which are much higher-priced commodities.

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