All lactic acid bacteria produce lactic acid from hexoses and since they lack functional heme linked electron transport chains and a functional Krebs cycle, they obtain energy via substrate level phosphorylation. The lactic acid produced may be L (1) or, less frequently, D (2) or a mixture of both. It should be noted that D (2) lactic acid is not metabolised by humans and is not recommended for infants and young children (WHO, 1974), a fact exploited by the marketers of a strain of Lb. bavaricus in Germany for use in the production of speciality L (1) sauerkraut (Lucke et al., 1990).