Conjugated fatty acids have attracted much attention as a novel type of biologically
beneficial functional lipid. Some isomers of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) reduce
carcinogenesis, atherosclerosis, and body fat. Considering the use of CLA for medicinal and
nutraceutical purposes, a safe isomer-selective process is required. The introduction of
biological reactions for CLA production could be an answer. We screened microbial
reactions useful for CLA production, and found several unique reactions in lactic acid …