The present invention provides lactic acid bacteria which are suitable for use for dietary products and pharmaceuticals, and which can suppress the increase of blood uric acid level. Various types of lactic acid bacteria were cultured in the presence of a purine, the amount of the purine consumed and the amount of purine degradation products produced were measured, and several lactic acid bacteria showing remarkable purine-decomposing ability were selected. Lactic acid bacteria that were assessed to have high purine-decomposing ability according to the above-mentioned selection were orally administered to rats reared on purine-containing feed, the general status and serum uric acid level of the rats were measured, and the effect of lactic acid bacteria administration on serum uric acid levels was examined. As a result, lactic acid bacteria that significantly suppress the increase of serum uric acid levels, Lactobacillus gasseri OLL2922, were found.
