An object aims to develop a lactic acid bacterium having an anti-allergic activity, which can be grown by using rice, particularly polished white rice, and can be collected, cooked and ingested together with rice in such a state that the lactic acid bacterium is attached to the surface of the rice. Another object aims to develop a food composition and a pharmaceutical composition, each of which comprises rice containing the lactic acid bacterium as a material. Thus, disclosed are: a lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus paracasei K71 strain which has been internationally deposited in National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, International Patent Organism Depositary under Accession No. FERM BP-11098； an anti-allergic agent comprising the lactic acid bacterium； a food composition comprising the anti-allergic agent； a food composition comprising rice which has been fermented with the lactic acid bacterium, a crushed product of the rice, or a cooked product of the rice or the crushed product of the rice； and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the anti-allergic agent.
