Abstract: A process for preparing artificial bed blocks for "Shiitake" mushroom cultivation, comprising culturing lumps of spawn (mycelia) in a bottle or other containers, taking out the grown-up mycelia from the container to be kept in a closed space, keeping culturing while raising humidity in the space close to saturation to form a new aerial hypha layer on the whole surface of the lumps of spawn for higher resistance to weed fungi, then sprinkling with water over the lumps in open space to prevent weed fungi from depositing.

Abstract: Non-fried, oil-free instant cooking dry noodles which, when immersed in hot water, are easily transformed to an edible cooked state during a short period of time and give good sense, feel and taste. The noodles have a water content of 13% or less by weight and consist essentially of at least one starch-containing component comprised mainly of wheat flour, wherein the starch in the starch-containing component has an .alpha.-conversion degree of at least about 85% as measured by diastase enzyme process. These noodles have a fine porous texture providing communication between the external surfaces and the internal portions thereof by a network of fine pores, and have smooth surfaces devoid of blister-like bubble formations or mutually sticking portions. Further, the noodles can be stored stably for at least one year without developing substantial change in quality.

Abstract: Instant-cooking dry macaroni-type food products are disclosed composed of wheat flour and substantially pre-cooked such that at least 85% of the starch contained in the product is converted to the .alpha.-phase, as measured by the diastase enzyme process. The products are characterized by numerous large diameter interconnected pores that provide communication between the external surfaces and the internal portions of the pieces and allow rapid hydration and conversion of the product from the dry to the cooked and edible state.

Abstract: A size-reducible rectangular tear-strip type rectangular column-like container for contents such as ice cream and margarine formed from a pre-patterned blank of a carton board, comprising: a plurality of spaced projecting gripping portions useful in tear-stripping respective sections which are contiguous to these gripping portions; a plurality of paired horizontally-extending and closely adjacent external and rear straight scored lines formed on both sides of the blank up to depths of about one half of the thickness of the blank, respectively. Adjacent respective pairs of the scored lines define sections of the container to be torn and stripped off from the remaining sections. Thus, this container, at the end of each consumption of the contents will reduce its size progressively for the convenience of storage.

Abstract: A method for producing instantly cookable dried beans which restore their boiled edible condition quickly after being immersed in a hot water. This method comprises a preliminary boiling step to boil raw beans in water, a preliminary immersion step to immerse those boiled beans in water, an enzymatic treatment step to treat the resulting beans in an aqueous solution containing either cellulase or a mixture of cellulase and pectinase, a secondary boiling step to boil these processed beans in an acidic solution, and a drying step to dry the resulting beans in a super-heated steam. The beans before the drying step may be coated with sucrose or lactose. The product dry beans have good appearance with practically no cracks and fractures, and retain their flavor as beans, and can be preserved for an extended period of time, in addition to the feature that the product dried beans are quickly rendered to soft edible state by immersing them in hot water.

Abstract: Instant-cooking dry macaroni products are manufactured by preparing a raw macaroni or like macaroni type food material containing at least 25% by weight of water by mixing, with substantially no kneading, components consisting mainly of wheat flour and water or additives; then subjecting this mixture to a preliminary steaming at a gauge pressure of 0.5-1.5 kg/cm.sup.2 for 2-5 minutes till an .alpha.-conversion degree of from 60% to 80% is reached; then shaping the resulting material into individual molded pieces of a desired configuration; thereafter, with or without application of water to the surfaces of the molded pieces so that these surfaces carry water in an amount not exceeding 100% by weight relative to the weight of the molded pieces; then subjecting the molded pieces to a further steaming step at similar pressure and time till an .alpha.

Abstract: Non-fried oil free instant cooking dry noodles are manufactured by preparing a mixture of raw noodle material containing at least 25% by weight of water by mixing, with substantially no kneading, components consisting mainly of wheat flour and water or additives; then rolling the mixture into a web form; thereafter with or without external application of water onto the surfaces of the web, steaming the web at gauge pressure of 0.5-1.5 kg/cm.sup.2 for 2-5 minutes until the starch therein has an .alpha.-conversion degree of at least 98%; followed by preliminary heating preferably at 80.degree.-110.degree. C. for 2-5 minutes to adjust the water content to 15-35% by weight; then shaping the web into individual noodles; and then further drying these noddles at 55.degree.-145.degree. C. until the water content becomes 10% or smaller by weight.

Abstract: Processed dried beans which almost instantaneously restore their boiled soft edible condition without a loss of the taste and flavor peculiar to the beans, simply by pouring hot water onto the processed dried beans, and the manufacturing method of such dried beans. Raw beans are first boiled in water, and thereafter they are treated with a solution of an enzyme selected from a group consisting of cellulose, pectinase and a mixture thereof, with or without subsequent boiling of beans in water. The processed dried beans may have a coating of sucrose or lactose. The beans are limited to those which are rich in starch and poor in both protein and fat.

Abstract: A powdery anti-stick agent for keeping the surface of a sticky surface of candy or chewing gum non-adhesive, comprising: a compound selected from a group consisting of .alpha.-lactose, .beta.-lactose, calcium carbonate and mixtures thereof coated with a compound selected from a group consisting of saturated fatty acid monoglycerides and derivatives thereof. A process for producing the above powdery releasing agent.