Dr. Henrique V. de Amorim is President and CEO of
Fermentec, Inc., São Paulo, Brazil. After graduating in
Agricultural Sciences in 1966 from University of São Paulo
(ESALQ –USP), he obtained his Master of Science degree in 1970 from
Ohio State University, Ohio, USA. Subsequently he finished his
Ph. D. thesis in 1972 and in 1978 his Professorship thesis
on coffee quality at Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de
Queiroz”, University of São Paulo (ESALQ –USP). Between
January 1984 and July 2001, he was an Associate Professor at the
Biolological Sciences Department at ESALQ –USP in the area of
Biochemistry. Dr. Amorim founded Fermentec, Inc. in 1977.Fermentec
has been optimizing the industrial process of alcoholic
fermentation and the laboratory control of every stage in
sugar and alcohol production. At Fermentec he leads a
highly qualified professional team in the areas of chemistry,
biochemistry, microbiology and agricultural sciences. His
contributions to the alcoholic fermentation field include:-Selection
of yeast strain PE-2 e CAT-1 (in the harvest season of
2007, around 60% of the alcohol produced in Brazil was from
these yeasts).-In the harvest season 2006/07, Fermentec’s industrial
clients processed 142 million tons of sugarcane, produced 9 million
tons of sugar and 9 billion liters of alcohol.-Increase of alcoholic
fermentation yield from 75% in 1977 to 92% in 2007.-Reduction of
sugar losses; in some sugar mills losses were reduced to 7%.