TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - BIOTECHNOLOGY - Preferred Components: The carbohydrate-source generating enzyme is a glucoamylase, beta-amylase and/or maltogenic amylase.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - PHARMACEUTICALS - Preferred Components: The alpha-amylase is an acid alpha-amylase (preferably derived from a fungus or bacterium). The dry solids content (DS) in step (A) or combined steps (A) and (B) is 10-55 wt.% (preferably 25-40 wt.%, especially 30-35 wt.%). The sugar concentration during fermentation is kept at a level below about 6 wt.% during fermentation or one-step fermentation. The aqueous slurry contains 1-70 vol.% backset (preferably 15-60 vol.% backset, especially 30-50 vol.% backset).    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Method: The saccharification and fermentation is carried out sequentially or simultaneously. In the method, a protease is present during step (A) or (B) or during simultaneous saccharification and fermentation in combined steps (A) and (B). The temperature during simultaneous saccharification and fermentation or fermentation in step (B) is 28-36 degrees C (preferably 29-35 degrees C, especially 30-34 degrees C, particularly around 32 degrees C). In the method, a carbohydrate-source generating enzyme is present during saccharification in step (A) or simultaneous saccharification and fermentation in combined steps (A) and (B). The fermentation step (B) or one-step fermentation (simultaneous steps (A) and (B)) is carried out for a period of 1 to 250 hours (preferably 25-190 hours, more preferably 30-180 hours, especially 40-170 hours, particularly 80-130 hours). The process is carried out at a pH of 3-7 (preferably 4-6, especially 4-5). In the method, a slurry comprising water and starch-containing material is prepared before step (A). In the method, an alpha-glucosidase is present during steps (A) and/or (B). Preferred Components: The starch-containing material is prepared by reducing the particle size of starch-containing material to a particle size of around 0.05 to 3.0 mm (preferably around 0.1-0.5 mm). The starch-containing material is obtained from corn (maize), cobs, wheat, barley, rye, milo, sago, cassava, manioc, tapioca, sorghum, rice or potatoes. The starch-containing material is granular starch or uncooked starch. EXAMPLE - A 410 g of ground yellow dent corn (with an average particle size around 0.5 mm) was added to 590 g tap water. This mixture was supplemented with 3.0 ml of 1 g/l penicillin and 1 g of urea. The pH of this slurry was adjusted to 4.5 with 5 N NaOH (initial pH, before adjustment was about 3.8). Dry solids (DS) level was determined to be about 35 wt.%. About approximately 5 g of this slurry was added to 10 ml tubes. Each tube was dosed with enzyme alpha -amylase (0.065 fungal alpha -amylase units (FAU)-F per g DS) and phytase (0.1100 FYT per g DS) followed by addition of about 0.21 ml yeast propagate per 5 g slurry. Actual enzyme dosages were based on the exact weight of corn slurry in each tube. Tubes were incubated at 32 degrees C. Nine replicate fermentations of each treatment were run. Fermentation tubes were vortexed by hand at 24, 48 and 70 hours. Three tubes were taken at 24 hours, 48 hours and 70 hours time point to be analyzed by HPLC. The HPLC sample preparation consisted of immediately stopping the reaction by addition of 50 mu l of 40% H2SO4 in each 5 g sample, centrifuging at 3000 rpm and at room temperature for 5 minutes and then filtering through a 0.45 micrometer filter. Samples were stored at 4 degrees C prior to analysis. The amount of ethanol (vol./vol.%) after 24 hours was 12.94; after 48 hours was 17.98; and after 70 hours was 18.76 respectively.