Hydrolysates of cod viscera were tested as an alternative to commonly used complex nitrogen sources (peptones and/or extracts) for the type strains of the lactic acid bacteria Lactococcus lactis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus sakei and Pediococcus pentosaceus. Comparative studies with MRS-like media containing different nitrogen sources showed that all the fish hydrolysates performed equally well or better than commercial extracts/peptones for all selected lactic acid bacteria.