Screening from 40 microorganisms belonging to different taxonomical groups (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactoballius, Streptococcus faecalis and Candida albicans) was performed to select the strain with high production rate of R-(−)-mandelic acid (R-MA). A sp. strain S. cerevisiae FD11b with high yield and enantiomeric excess (e.e.) and little byproducts was obtained by means of UV-mutation breeding. In the optimal conditions of pH 6.5, 32°C, anaerobic and glucose supply rate (F glu ) 0.0833mmolgdw −1 h −1 , the strain FD11b showed a high specific MA production rate (q p =0.35mmolgdw −1 h −1 ) and enantioselectivity (e.e.=97.1%). The phenylglyoxylic acid (PGA) concentration showed a remarkable effect on the apparent activity of MA dehydrogenase. The specific production rate (q p ) reached the maximum at 30–40mM of PGA concentrations. At higher concentrations of PGA more than 40mM, the q p decreased obviously in a linear way. However, the e.e. of R-MA kept about 95–96.5%, when the PGA concentration was below 60mM, even at the concentration of PGA 80mM, the e.e. was still higher than 90%. A modified Monod type equation based on a hypothesis of substrate inhibition could fit the experimental data well. The estimated maximum specific production rate (q pm ) and saturation constant (K s ) were 0.431mmolgdw −1 h −1 and 5.88mM, respectively.