The growth of four cultures selected on the basis of their ability to produce lactic acid in soya milk and/or utilize oligosaccharides, namelyStreptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckiisubspbulgaricus, Lactobacillus fermentiandLactobacillus fermentum, was examined in reconstituted, low fat, spray-dried soya milk powder (12% total solids). The single culture ofS. thermophilusproduced a drop in pH from 6.5 to 4.7 over a 10-h period, and reduced the level of stachyose from 8.5 mg ml-;1in the original milk to 3.2 mg ml-;1; after 24 h fermentation, pH fell to 4.5, and the stachyose concentration to 3.0 mg ml-;1. The paired culture ofS. thermophilusandL. fermentumbehaved in a similar fashion, but with only a slight improvement in stachyose utilization. When yeast extract (0.3%) and glucose (1.0%) were added to the soya milk, acid production by all the cultures increased dramatically, andL. delbrueckiisubspbulgaricusalone or in combination withS. thermophiluslowered the pH of the milk to 4.3 over 10 h. This combination ofS. thermophilusandL. delbrueckiisubspbulgaricuswas considered to be a likely combination for the production of a fermented product from soya milk or modified soya milk, as neitherL. fermentinorL. fermentumwere appreciably more effective in lowering the concentrations of oligosaccharides.