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There are three categories of ''Lactobacillus'' based on the type of fermentation they are capable of (homolactic, heterolactic, or both).
# '''Obligatory homofermentative''''' Lactobacillus '' only perform homolactic fermentation, and thus only produce lactic acid <ref name="Effects on Food Properties"></ref>. # '''Obligatory heterofermentative''''' Lactobacillus '' only perform heterolactic fermentation, and thus produce lactic acid, CO2, and ethanol (or sometimes acetic acid instead of ethanol) <ref name="Effects on Food Properties"></ref>. # '''Facultatively heterofermentative''''' Lactobacillus '' generally are homolactic when there is an abundance of carbohydrates, but can also perform heterolactic fermentation when carbohydrates are not abundant <ref name="Effects on Food Properties"></ref>.
Other factors can determine if a facultative heterofermentative species uses homolactic or heterolactic fermentation. For example, ''L. plantarum'', which is a facultatively heterofermentative species, is homolactic without the presence of oxygen. In the presence of oxygen, however, it performs heterolactic fermentation, and produces acetic acid <ref name="microbewiki_plantarum">[https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Lactobacillus_plantarum_and_its_biological_implications Lactobacillus plantarum and its biological implications. Microbe Wiki. Retrieved 6/7/2015.]</ref><ref name="shaner_plantarum">[https://www.facebook.com/groups/MilkTheFunk/permalink/1083842231643990/?comment_id=1084922688202611&offset=0&total_comments=28&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R%22%7D Conversation with Lance Shaner about L. plantarum on MTF. 6/7/2015.]</ref>.