Summary -While substantial literature has accumulated on the utilization of major nutrients such as carbon and nitrogen by lactic acid bacteria, Iittle is known about the effects of «rninor» nutrients such as metal ions. An attempt has been made to summarize the available information on transport, nutrition, enzymatic implications and importance of metal ions tolacfic acid bacteria. Mg++, Mn++, Fe++,Ca++, K+ and Na+ have been considered in detail.Knowledge of the relationships between lactic acid bacteria and heavy metals is very fragmentary. Generally, they have an inhibitory effect (Cd, Cs, Cu, Zn, Ur, Th) or no effect (Mo); however, they sometimes have a positive effect (Co, Zr). lactlc acid bacteria -metal ions -nutrition -transport -calcium -magneslum -potassiumiron -manganese -sodium -heavy metals