Washed cells of Clostridium sporogenes reduced benzamide (up to 20 mM) to benzylamine in yields up to 73% using H-2 as electron donor with less than 10 g biocatalyst/l over 24 h. Product formation exhibited complex kinetics, with a lag before benzylamine production began. Very little substrate was hydrolysed since the maximum yield of benzoic acid was only 9% of the substrate added. Boiled cells were inactivated thus confirming that amide reduction was enzyme-catalysed.