Pyruvate is a key intermediate in cellular metabolic pathways. Pyruvate can be converted to carbohydrates via gluconeogenesis, to fatty acids or energy through acetyl-CoA, to the amino acid alanine and to ethanol. Abnormal levels of pyruvate have been linked to liver diseases and metabolic disorders. Simple, direct and automation-ready procedures for measuring pyruvate concentrations find wide applications in research and drug discovery.