L-4-Fluorophenylalanine (FPhe) was prepared from 4-fluorophenylpyruvate (FPPA) catalyzed by aspartate aminotransferase (Asp-AT) of the recombinant E. coli BL21-pET/aspC. After 12 h enzymatic reaction, the FPPA conversion was over 90% and the yield of FPhe could be above 85% under the following optimal conditions: 37uC, pH value range of 5.0-8.0, 5.5 mass ratio of cell to FPPA, 0.6% (w/v) of Tween 80, 7.08 g/L FPPA, and 1.6 of molar ratio of L-Asp to FPPA.