The inhibitory effect of sodium nitrite upon glucose catabolism by Staphylococcus aureus was investigated using [U–1 4C] glucose, liquid chromatography, and gas‐liquid chromatography.Acetate and acetoin are the end‐products of glucose metabolism by S. aureus at 37°C and pH 6.3. In the presence of inhibitory levels of sodium nitrite, acetate and lactate with traces of pyruvate and acetoin are the end products. Acetate production per unit of growth is significantly lower in the sodium nitrite inhibited cultures. The decreased acetoin accumulation was not due to inhibition of diacetyl reduction. The production of acetoin was induced by the addition of acetate to the sodium nitrite containing