Formation of dulcitol in aerobic dissimilation of D-galactose by yeasts.

During the study of aerobic dissimilation of galactose by yeasts, polyhydric products were isolated in crystalline form from the fermented broths and identified. Yeast species may be divided into two groups on basis of sugar alcohol production: type I yeasts form the same end products from galactose as from glucose; type II yeasts produce dulcitol from galactose with or without other sugar alcohols but they produce no dulcitol from glucose. Isolation of dulcitol from microorganism has not been previously described.