The present invention provides methods for producing recombinant peptides in a bacterial host utilizing a mannitol, arabitol, glucitol, or glycerol-inducible promoter, wherein the host bacterial cell that produces the peptide has been rendered incapable of degrading or metabolizing mannitol, arabitol, or glucitol, or derivatives or analogues thereof. The present invention provides bacterial cells that have been genetically altered to inhibit the metabolism or degradation of mannitol, glucitol, or arabitol, or derivatives or analogues thereof. The present invention utilizes mannitol, arabitol, glucitol, or glycerol to induce expression of a target polypeptide from an inducible promoter, allowing for the use of an inexpensive and stable carbon source inducer in the fermentation processes for the production of recombinant peptides.