Hemicellulose bioconversion

Various pretreatment options as well as enzymatic saccharification of lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable sugars is reviewed and the barriers, progress, and prospects of developing an environmentally benign bioprocess for large-scale conversion of hemicellulose to fuel ethanol, xylitol, 2,3-butanediol, and other value-added fermentation products are highlighted.