The growth performance of malolactic fermenting bacteria Oenococcus oeni NCIMB 11648 and Lactobacillus brevis X-2 was assessed in continuous culture. O. oeni grew at a dilution rate range of 0.007 to 0.052 h(-1) in a mixture of 5: 6 ( g l(-1)) of glucose/fructose at an optimal pH of 4.5, and L. brevis X-2 grew at 0.010 to 0.089 h(-1) in 10 g l(-1) glucose at an optimal pH of 5.5 in a simple and safe medium. The cell dry weight, substrate uptake and product formation were monitored, as well as growth kinetics, yield parameters and fermentation balances were also evaluated under pH control conditions. A comparison of growth characteristics of two strains was made, and this showed significantly different performance. O. oeni has lower maximum specific growth rate (mu(max)= 0.073 h(-1)), lower maximum cell productivity (Q(x)(max)= 17.6 mg cell l(-1) h(-1)), lower maximum biomass yield (Y-x/s(max)= 7.93 g cell mol(-1) sugar) and higher maintenance coefficient (m(s)= 0.45 mmol(-1) sugar g(-1) cell h(-1)) as compared with L. brevis X-2 (mu(max)= 0.110 h(-1); Q(x)(max)= 93.2 g(-1) cell mol(-1) glucose; Y-x/s(max)= 22.3 g cell mol(-1) glucose; m(s)= 0.21 mmol(-1) glucose g(-1) cell h(-1)). These data suggest a possible more productive strategy for their combined use in maturation of cider and wine.