lactic acid bacteria

A group of grampositive anaerobic bacteria that use pyruvic acid as the acceptor for the hydrogen produced in glycolysis, so forming lactic acid. Such organisms (e.g. Streptococcus lactis) are used on a large scale in the food industry, especially as starter cultures in cheese making. Most lactic acid bacteria are rod-shaped organisms belonging to the family Lactobacillaceae of the Eubacteriales.