Abstract: Active dried yeast is treated to beneficiate subsequent fermentation activity and/or fermentation products of the yeast and to produce a beneficiated active yeast product by heating the dried yeast to a temperature of about 30.degree. to about 60.degree. C. for at least about 2 hours prior to utilization of the yeast in a fermentation process.

Abstract: Sugar extraction efficency from sugar-containing plant tissue, such as sugarbeet cossettes or the like, is increased by contacting the sugar-containing plant tissue near the juice end of a diffusion process with diffusion water in the presence of an effective amount of carbon dioxide.

Abstract: Harvested sugar beets are treated to reduce storage losses of recoverable sucrose by contacting the beets with propylene. The treatment may be effected by spraying an aqueous solution of propylene onto the beets, by dipping the beets into an aqueous solution of propylene, by contacting the beets with gaseous propylene, or by other suitable means. Propylene concentrations less than about 750 ppm, preferably in the range of about 10 to about 500 ppm, and more preferably about 20 to about 200 ppm, are effective to reduce storage loss of recoverable sucrose.

Abstract: Glucose yields in the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose to glucose are significantly enhanced by treating cellulosic material with ethylene either prior to and/or during the hydrolytic reaction.

Abstract: Respiration of sucrose to carbon dioxide and water is reduced and the formation of invert sugar is inhibited in the storage of sugar beets which have had an effective amount of ethylene introduced into the ground near the roots of the growing plants.