The effects of zinc supplementation were investigated in the continuous ethanol fermentation using selfflocculating yeast. Zinc sulfate was added at the concentrations of 0.01, 0.05 and 0.1 g l?1, respectively. Reduced average floc sizes were observed in all the zinc-supplemented cultures. Both the ethanol tolerance and thermal tolerancewere significantly improved by zinc supplements, which correlatedwell with the increased ergosterol and trehalose contents in the yeast flocs. The highest ethanol concentration by 0.05 g l?1 zinc sulfate supplementation attained 114.5 g l?1, in contrast to 104.1 g l?1 in the control culture. Glycerol production was decreased by zinc supplementations, with the lowest level 3.21 g l?1, about 58% of the control. Zinc content in yeast cellswas about 1.4 Mol g?1 dry cellweight, about sixfold higher than that of control in all the zinc-supplemented cultures, and close correlation of zinc content in yeast cells with the cell viability against ethanol and heat shock treatment was observed. These studies suggest that exogenous zinc addition led to a reprogramming of cellular metabolic network, resulting in enhanced ethanol tolerance and ethanol production.