Which of the following is not a product of the Citric Acid Cycle?

The correct answer is pyruvate, as it is not a product of the Citric Acid Cycle. Instead, pyruvate is produced from glycolysis, which takes place before the Citric Acid Cycle in cellular respiration. Once glycolysis converts glucose into pyruvate, the pyruvate then enters the mitochondria and is converted into acetyl-CoA, which is the substrate that initiates the Citric Acid Cycle.

During the Citric Acid Cycle, acetyl-CoA is oxidized, resulting in the production of several important molecules, including NADH and FADH2, which serve as electron carriers and are crucial for subsequent steps in cellular respiration, particularly in the electron transport chain. Additionally, the cycle generates ATP (or GTP, depending on the cell type) through substrate-level phosphorylation. Therefore, while NADH, FADH2, and ATP are all key products generated during the cycle, pyruvate is not and originates from an earlier metabolic pathway.