The answer to this question is pyruvic acid.
This process is also known as the Embden-Meyerhof or glycolytic pathway and is undoubtedly the most common pathway for glucose degradation to pyruvate in the second stage of catabolism. It is found in all major groups of microorganisms and functions in the presence or absence of oxygen. Glycolysis occurs in the cytoplasmic matrix of prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
The pathway as a whole is divided into two parts: The initial 6 carbon stage and secondly, the 3 carbon stage.
One of the products, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate, is converted directly to pyruvic acid in a five step process.
