Twenty-three of 86 strains of lactic acid bacteria transformed linoleic acid into hydroxy FA. Two distinct conversion pathways were in operation. Two strains of Lactobacillus acidophilus and a strain of Pediococcus pentosaceus produced 13(S)-hydroxy-9-octadecenoic acid 113(S)-OH 18:11 and 10,13dihydroxyoctadecanoic acid (10,13-OH 18:0) as main and minor products, respectively, whereas 13 strains, including L. casei subsp. casei, L. paracasei subsp. paracasei, L. rhamnosus, L. lactis subsp. cremoris, and Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus produced 10-hydroxy-12-octadecenoic acid (10-OH 18:1). Seven strains of L. plantarum converted linoleic acid to 10-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid (10-OH 18:0) through 10-OH 18:1. Linoleic acid at 2 g/L was converted by L. acidophilus IFO13951T to 1.3 g of 13(S)-OH 18:1 and 0.09 g of 10,13-OH 18:0 in 7 d. Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei JCM 1111 produced 10-OH 18:1 in 91% yield, and L. plantarum JCM 8341, 10-OH 18:0 in 59% yield from linoleic acid (2 g/L) under optimal conditions. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the production of 13(S)-OH 18:1 by lactic acid bacteria other than ruminal bacteria, and of 10,13-OH 18:0 by any bacteria.