Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Ltd.

Yukiko Masuda

Chiaki Saitoh

Hiroki Ishiguro

Atsushi Yashiro

The process which comprises causing cells or a culture of a microorganism having the activity to introduce hydroxy into the &lsqb;n-5&rsqb;-position (n is an even number of 10 or more) and hydrogen into the &lsqb;n-6&rsqb;-position of a straight-chain fatty acid having n carbon atoms wherein at least the &lsqb;n-6&rsqb;-position is a double bond to make the &lsqb;n-6&rsqb;-position a single bond or a treated matter thereof to act on a straight-chain fatty acid having n carbon atoms wherein at least the &lsqb;n-6&rsqb;-position is a double bond or a composition containing the fatty acid to form an &lsqb;n-5&rsqb;-hydroxy fatty acid wherein the &lsqb;n-6&rsqb;-position is a single bond, causing cells or a culture of a microorganism having the activity to &bgr;-oxidize an &lsqb;n-5&rsqb;-hydroxy fatty acid wherein the &lsqb;n-6 &rsqb;-position is-a single bond or a treated matter thereof to act on the formed &lsqb;n-5&rsqb;-hydroxy fatty acid, and recovering the formed &dgr;-lactones.

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Tsukuba, Japan

Yukiko Masuda