Table 1.
The biochemical pathways (fermentations) followed by the most common microbes activated at the postmortem to produce ethanol and higher alcohols [38].
| Ethanol/Higher Alcohols | Biochemical Pathway | Microbe Domain |
|---|---|---|
| Ethanol | Glucose | Bacteria, Clostridia, Yeasts |
| Glycerol | Clostridia, Bacteria, Yeasts | |
| Mixed acid and butanediol | Bacteria | |
| /1-Butanol | Butanol-acetone and Butyrate | Clostridia, Bacteria |
| Glycerol | Clostridia, Bacteria | |
| /Amyl- and Isoamyl-alcohol | Amino acids (linked to pyruvate availability) | Bacteria, Clostridia Yeasts, |
| /Isobutanol | Amino acids (linked to pyruvate availability) | Bacteria, Clostridia, Yeast |
| /1-Propanol | Acetone (from pyruvate, FA, Glycerol) | Bacteria, Clostridia |
| Amino acids (linked to pyruvate availability) | Bacteria, Clostridia, Yeasts | |
| Glycerol | Bacteria, Clostridia, Yeasts |