The bacteria species was isolated, cultured and used in a fermentation process to make sorbose. The microbial oxidation of sorbitol to sorbose is important because it provides the correct stereochemistry. The commercial production of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) often begins with sorbose. From sorbose, chemical reactions were used to complete the synthesis of ascorbic acid. Sorbose is a ketose belonging to the group of sugars known as monosaccharides.