Abstract: [Problem] To provide: a method for suppressing the coloration of oils and fats during frying; and a coloring inhibitor. [Solution] A method for suppressing the coloration of an oil/fat composition for frying, the method comprising a step for adding a prepared oil to an edible oil or fat, wherein the prepared oil is obtained through (1) a degumming step, (2) a neutralization step which may or may not be performed, (3) a bleaching step which may or may not be performed, and (4) a deodorizing step, in this order, in the process of refining a crude oil obtained from an oil feedstock, and the absorbance difference determined by subtracting the absorbance at a wavelength of 750 nm from the absorbance at a wavelength of 660 nm of the prepared oil obtained from step (3) is at least 0.030 when isooctane is used as the control. A coloring inhibitor characterized by containing said prepared oil.

Abstract: An oil and fat composition is provided which can reduce cooked odors without using an additive such as emulsifier. The oil and fat composition includes an oil and fat produced by oxidizing a fresh oil and fat so that a difference in anisidine value before and after the oxidation is 0.5 to 350, and an edible oil and fat. An added anisidine value of the oil and fat composition is 0.07 to 350 and is further calculated by the following formula: added anisidine value=(anisidine value after oxidation?anisidine value before oxidation)×[additive amount (wt. %)].

Abstract: A composition containing a starch at a content of equal to or higher than 75% by mass, wherein the composition contains a low molecular weight starch as the starch at a content of equal to or higher than 3% by mass and equal to or lower than 45% by mass, the low molecular weight starch being obtainable from a starch containing amylose at a content of equal to or higher than 5% by mass as a raw material, wherein a peak molecular weight of the low molecular weight starch is equal to or higher than 3×103 and equal to or lower than 5×104, wherein a degree of swelling in cold water of the composition at 25 degrees C. is equal to or higher than 7 and equal to or lower than 20, and wherein a content of an oversieve fraction of a granulated material in the composition on 0.5 mm mesh is equal to or lower than 50% by mass.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide a method for detecting high-risk prostate cancer, for the purpose of providing useful information, such as necessity of biopsy, to a test-positive patient in a PSA test. [Solution] The method for detecting high-risk prostate cancer according to the present invention comprises reacting a PSA contained in a sample composed of urine collected from a human body which is suspected to be suffering from prostate cancer with (1) a fucose ?1?6 affinitive lectin which has a characteristic property that the lectin has affinity expressed by a binding constant of 1.0×104 M?1 or more (at 25° C.) for an ?1?6 fucose sugar chain No. 405. The fucose ?1?6 affinitive lectin is preferably (2) a fucose ?1?6 specific lectin which has a characteristic property that the lectin has a binding constant of 1.0×104 M?1 or less (at 25° C.) for a sugar chain No. 003 that does not contain ?1?6 fucose and a glycolipid-type sugar chain No. 909 that does not contain ?1?6 fucose.

Abstract: A composition that is useful in a skin function improving agent includes at least a sapogenol, and a collagen hydrolysate. This composition can be used in a skin function improving agent and is particularly useful in a skin function improving agent for inhibiting transdermal moisture loss and/or for retaining the moisture in the stratum corneum.

Abstract: An oil- or fat-processed starch, exhibiting a solubility of equal to or higher than 9.5% by mass and equal to or lower than 45% by mass, and an emulsifying capacity of equal to or higher than 50% and equal to or lower than 100%.

Abstract: A method is provided to promote secretion of cholecystokinin (CCK) by administering an active component. The active component includes acrylic acid and/or an unsaturated aldehyde having a main chain of 4 to 12 carbon atoms having a double bond in at least position 2 or 4, where the main chain has 4 to 9 carbon atoms when there is a double bond in only position 2, and the main chain has 9 to 12 carbon atoms when there is a double bond in only position 4. The cholecystokinin secretion-promoting composition can be used as an appetite suppressant. By adding this cholecystokinin secretion-promoting composition to food, appetite-suppressing food products can be provided.

Abstract: A method for enhancing skin collagen in an individual includes administering a composition to the individual, the composition comprising a skin collagen enhancing agent comprising menaquinone-7 as an active ingredient. In addition, a composition is provided in the form of at least one of an emulsion and a cream, the composition including a skin collagen enhancing agent comprising menaquinone-7 as an active ingredient.

Abstract: A composition that is useful in a skin function improving agent includes at least two of the following: vitamin K, a sapogenol, and a collagen hydrolysate. This composition can be used in a skin function improving agent and is particularly useful in a skin function improving agent for inhibiting transdermal moisture loss and/or for retaining the moisture in the stratum corneum.

Abstract: An oil and fat composition is provided having superior operability and processability, in terms of a liquefying phenomenon of sugar, tackiness and texture of fried doughnuts, filling condition and hardness of shortening, and solidifying time of coating chocolate, by the superior crystallization-promoting effect. A palm-based fractionated oil and fat has 70-90% by weight of the tripalmitin content to triglyceride and 1-8% by weight of the unsaturated fatty acid content to total fatty acid. The oil and fat comprises a hard part obtained by, for example, performing a crystallization operation of palm super stearin with iodine value 10-17 so that the slurry SFC is 20% or less, and fractionating the slurry so that the hard part yield is 26% by weight or less. The fractionation is preferably performed so that a numerical value of the hard part yield/the slurry SFC is 10 or less.

Abstract: An intestinal environment-improving agent containing, as an effective component, a starch with a high resistant starch content that satisfies the following conditions (a), (b), (c), and (d): (a) a content of a resistant starch measured by the resistant starch measurement method of AOAC official method 2002. 02 is equal to or higher than 60%; (b) a peak of a molecular weight is equal to or higher than 6×103 and equal to or lower than 4×104; (c) a molecular weight dispersity is equal to or higher than 1.5 and equal to or higher than 6.0; and (d) a gelatinization enthalpy at 50° C. to 130° C. measured by a differential scanning calorimetry is equal to or lower than 10 J/g.

Abstract: An oil or fat composition described herein has a hydrogenated aroma and flavor as a conventional oil or fat composition and a long lasting hydrogenated aroma, while having trans-fatty acid content reduced to the same extent as that in a general liquid salad oil, and the starting material thereof. The oxidized and partially hydrogenated oil or fat contains C18:2 trans-isomer from 10 to 60 wt. % on the total constituent fatty acid content basis and has peroxide value from 8 to 350 meq/kg. A ratio by weight of the C18:2 trans-isomer content to C18:1 trans-isomer content in all the constituent fatty acids can be 0.3 to 1.8.

Abstract: A soy saponin composition is provided high bodily absorption characteristics. In an embodiment, a soyasapogenol composition comprises soyasapogenol B and 3-O-D-glucuronopyranosyl soyasapogenol B. The weight ratio (B/A) of the 3-O-D-glucuronopyranosyl soyasapogenol B to the soyasapogenol B is in the range of 0.001-10. The composition can be produced by partial decomposition of a sugar chain residue of a soy saponin B group glycoside utilizing an acid.

Abstract: An oil or fat composition described herein has a hydrogenated aroma and flavor as a conventional oil or fat composition and a long lasting hydrogenated aroma, while having trans-fatty acid content reduced to the same extent as that in a general liquid salad oil, and the starting material thereof. The oxidized and partially hydrogenated oil or fat contains C18:2 trans-isomer from 10 to 60 wt. % on the total constituent fatty acid content basis and has peroxide value from 8 to 350 meq/kg. A ratio by weight of the C18:2 trans-isomer content to C18:1 trans-isomer content in all the constituent fatty acids can be 0.3 to 1.8.

Abstract: An oil and fat composition is provided which can reduce cooked odors without using an additive such as emulsifier. The oil and fat composition includes an oil and fat produced by oxidizing a fresh oil and fat so that a difference in anisidine value before and after the oxidation is 0.5 to 350, and an edible oil and fat. An added anisidine value of the oil and fat composition is 0.07 to 350 and is further calculated by the following formula: added anisidine value=(anisidine value after oxidation?anisidine value before oxidation)×[additive amount (wt. %)].

Abstract: Provided is a hyaluronic acid production promoter and a melanin synthesis inhibitor. The hyaluronic acid production promoter and the melanin synthesis inhibitor of the present invention each contain soybean saponin as an active ingredient. The soybean saponin is preferably soybean saponin aglycone. The soybean saponin aglycone preferably includes soyasapogenol A and/or soyasapogenol B. The hyaluronic acid production promoter and the melanin synthesis inhibitor of the present invention are each administered transdermally or orally.

Abstract: Disclosed is a resistant starch-rich starch which satisfies the requirements (a), (b), (c) and (d), below: (a) showing a resistant starch content, measured by the AOAC Official Method 2002.02 for measuring resistant starch, of 60% or more; (b) showing a molecular weight peak in the range from 6×103 or larger to 4×104 or smaller; (c) showing a molecular weight dispersion of 1.5 or larger to 6.0 or smaller; and (d) showing a gelatinization enthalpy, measured by differential scanning calorimetry over the range from 50° C. to 130° C., of 10 J/g or smaller.

Abstract: A plastic oil and fat composition provides a plastic oil and fat food that has a good filling operability, keeps the feeling of melt-in-the-mouth after long preservation, and is excellent in spreadability, oil-off resistance and the like. In the plastic oil and fat composition, a content of PPP is from 5.5 to 12% by weight, a content of PPLi+PLiP is from 5.5 to 15.5% by weight, a content of PPO+POP is from 7 to 20% by weight, and a value of PPO/(PPO+POP) is from 0.55 to 0.7. A method for producing the plastic oil and fat composition is also provided.

Abstract: A soy saponin composition is provided high bodily absorption characteristics. In an embodiment, a soyasapogenol composition comprises soyasapogenol B and 3-O-D-glucuronopyranosyl soyasapogenol B. The weight ratio (B/A) of the 3-O-D-glucuronopyranosyl soyasapogenol B to the soyasapogenol B is in the range of 0.001-10. The composition can be produced by partial decomposition of a sugar chain residue of a soy saponin B group glycoside utilizing an acid.

Abstract: An oil- or fat-processed starch, exhibiting a solubility of equal to or higher than 9.5% by mass and equal to or lower than 45% by mass, and an emulsifying capacity of equal to or higher than 50% and equal to or lower than 100%.