DESCRIZIONE
A process for production and extraction of dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) relates to the biotransformation of R-lipoic acid to dihydrolipoic acid. The process ferments the lipoic acid with bacteria selected from the genus of any of the following bacteria: Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Pediococcus, or Bacillus. More particularly the present invention relates to a method for the extraction of DHLA utilizing a non-traditional solvent system, namely a food oil. Generally the DHLA that is produced in the present method is isolated from cells which have been inactivated or killed.