It is intended to provide a composition containing a lactic acid-bacterium producing equol characterized by containing a lactic acid bacterium belonging to the genus Lactococcus that is capable of metabolizing at least one daidzein compound selected from the group consisting of daidzein glycosides, daidzein and dihydrodaidzein and thus producing equol; and a process for producing equol characterized by comprising treating at least one member selected from the group consisting of daidzein compounds and daidzein-containing materials with the lactic acid bacterium as described above. The above-described lactic acid bacterium includes Lactococcus garvieae. This composition is efficacious in preventing and relieving indefinite complaints including menopausal disorders in middle-aged and older women.
