Lactic acid and short-chain carboxylic acids C,-C, were analyzed on a n Aminex HPX-87H column using UV and RI detection. The HPLC method was applied to complex fermentation media of a microbial lactic acid formation process. The resulting chromatograms of the yeast extract or culture medium showed some W-absorbing substances that interfered partially with peaks of shortchain carboxylic acids. I n contrast t o UV monitoring, R I detection gave only a few small peaks of these so-called "background chromatograms". Also glucose used as substrate could be quantified in the culture medium, because of which R I detection should be preferred. Furthermore, a self-prepared cation-exchange resin (SAC = S-DVB) based on a poly(styrenedivinylbenzene) partially comparable in its properties with Aminex resins was useful for fast (about 4 minutes) and not too expensive determinations of lactic and acetic acid in fermentation media. Applying this separation system to fermentation solutions detected b y R I as well as UV monitoring results in the quantitative analysis of lactic acid kinetics identical with a n Aminex HPX-87H column were achieved. Finally, the simplicity of lactic-acid analysis is illustrated by examples of dairy products only centrifugated and diluted in double distilled water before injecting on a cation-exchange column.