The production of extracellular mannitot by an efficient mannitol-producing bacterium, Lactobacillus sp. KY-107 was studied in shake flask culture using the modified MRS medium. Maximum mannitol production was obtained with fructose as the sole carbon source. Within 95 hours of incubation, a final concentration of 70g/L of mannitol from 100g/L fructose was obtained with an indicated yield of 86% based on fructose consumed. However, higher concentrations of fructose could not effectively be transformed to mannitol due to a lack of osmotolerance. The strain produced no other polyols such as glycerol and sorbitol as by-products. Yeast extract was best nitrogen source and high levels of inorganic phosphate up to 10g/L did not show any detrimental effect for mannitol formation. Manganese ion played important role in both cell growth and mannitol production. The optimum culture temperature and initial pH were $35^{circ}C$ and 6-8, respectively.