The inoculum bioreactor (from here onwards denoted as IF) of the two pilot fermentations (from here onwards denoted as PF1 and PF2) was run as a batch process and contained 18 kg of batch medium of which the composition is given in Supplementary Table S6. The media were adjusted to pH 5.0 with NH₃ before inoculation. The inoculum bioreactor was inoculated with 5 shake flask cultures of 400 g each and then operated according to Supplementary Table S7. 8 Kg of broth from the IF was used to inoculate each of the two PF. The PF contained 82 kg of batch medium that was identical to the medium of the laboratory bioreactors. The process started with a batch phase until glucose depletion. The other operating conditions are given in Supplementary Table S8.

The solutions for pH correction and foam remediation were 25 wt% NH₃, 98 wt% H₂SO₄ and Basildon 86-013. The carbon feed solutions of the two pilot scale fermentations are given in Table 1.