Abstract: The effect of volumetric oxygen transfer coefficient (kL_a), on the performance of producing pyruvate by a multi - vitamin - auxotrophic yeast of Torulopsis glabrata , was investigated in batch fermentation process. High yield of pyruvate to glucose (0.797 g·g^-1) was achieved at higher kL_a (450 h^-1), while the glucose consumption rate was low (1.14 g·L^-1·h^-1). Glucose consumption was enhanced at lower kLa (200 h^-1), however, the yield of pyruvate to glucose decreased to 0.483 g·g^-1. Based on the characteristics of process parameters and carbon flux distribution, a two - stage oxygen supply control mode, in which kL_a was controlled at 450 h in the first 16 h then switched to 200 h after 16 h, was proposed and experimentally verified. Relative high concentration of pyruvate (69.4 g·L^-1), high yield of pyruvate to glucose (0.636 g· g^-1), and high glucose consumption rate (1.95 g·L^-1·h^-1) was achieved by applying this mode. The productivity (1.24g·L^-1·h^-1) was improved by 36% , 23% and 31% than the cases of constant KL_a (450 h^-1, 300 h^-1 and 200 h^-1), respectively. Experimental results indicate that the difference between the performance of producing pyruvate under favorable state of oxygen- supply was caused by the different energy state of cell, which may be due to the different regenerated pathways of NADH generated from glycolysis.