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Formose syrup was studied as a carbon source for growth of a series of microorganisms obtained from various collections. Approximately 80 strains of bacteria, yeasts, and molds were inoculated into a medium containing formose syrup and mineral salts supplemented with small amounts of yeast extract and casein hydrolysate to supply accessory growth factors. Two preparations of formose syrup, produced by two different laboratories, were employed. Formose syrup I, characterized by a low sugar content, was poorly utilized; syrup II, containing a higher sugar concentration, was utilized to a greater extent. Two strains of Aerobacter acrogenes yielded 1.3 g dry cell mass from an initial charge of 10 g of formose II solids, whereas growth on 10 g of D-glucose amounted to 3.7 g. Klebsiella aerogenes MIT-B44, the best microbial strain isolated from soil by an enrichment technique, produced 1.3 g cells from 10 g fromose syrup II solids in supplemented medium; in direct comparisons, it produced 10–15% more cell 0.7–0.9 g cells per 10 g formose and grew with a doubling time of 55–70 min. Under such conditions, its macromolecular composition was 52% protein, 22% RNA, and 2% DNA. Although the apparent yield of cells from formose was only 8–11%, the actual yield based on formose utilized was 30%, the same as observed with glucose. A second strain was isolated from soil by enrichment with spent broth from K. aerogenes. This unidentified gram-negative, short rod-shaped bacterium grew in mixed culture with strain MIT-B44; in unsupplemented media they produced 1.55 g cells from 10 g formose II solids and 2.9 g cells from 10 g glucose.