Batch fermentations of Rhizopus oryzae AHU 6537 in medium containing granular activated carbon from coal, powder activated carbon from coal or granular activated carbon from coconut were carried out in an airlift bioreactor. As a result, fermentation broths were decolorized by activated carbon, and clearer fermentation broths were obtained than in fermentation without activated carbon. With activated carbon from coal, the cells formed smaller pellets than in fermentation without activated carbon, and fermentation performance was improved. Productivity was further improved by increasing the amount of activated carbon from coal. Therefore, the productivity of lactic acid fermentation could be improved by selecting a suitable activated carbon and by controlling the amount of activated carbon.