Twenty-three strains of lactic acid bacteria belonging to the genera Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus or Carnobacterium, were studied for growth and siderophore production under controlled iron-starvation conditions. No growth differences were observed in the media either supplemented with or depleted of iron, in agitated (aerobic) or static (microaerophilic) growth conditions, and none of the tested species produced siderophores. Growth studies using synthetic iron-chelator-supplemented media showed no growth inhibition related to iron deprivation. Moreover, no cellular iron incorporation was observed during growing in the presence of radioactive iron (Fe-59).