Abstract: This invention provides an acid-resistant malt extract useful to add a clear or transparent color to acidic food and beverage having a pH value of not less than 2 and less than 4.6, without generating suspended or sedimented insoluble matter; and a manufacturing method therefor. The malt extract of the present invention is obtained by adjusting the particle diameter of insoluble particles contained in the malt extract to less than 0.9 ?m by way of, for example, filtering an untreated liquid malt extract or a treated liquid thereof using a filter having a pore diameter of 0.9 ?m or less.

Abstract: Novel utilization of sucralose which is a high intense sweetener. Compositions containing sucralose including: sweetening compositions having excellent sweetness qualities based on the characteristics of sucralose; foods with a masked unpleasant smell and unpleasant taste; performance food compositions (viscous food compositions, gel food compositions, emulsified food compositions); foods with improved flavors; preservatives and foods with improved quality of taste; and flavor compositions with improved flavors. Novel utilization of sucralose as a sweetener improver, a masking agent for unpleasant smell/unpleasant taste, a flavor improver, a function improver (viscosity, gelling properties, emulsification properties), a taste characteristic improver, and a flavor improver/enhancer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel thiophene compound as a synthetic intermediate that is useful for efficient production of kahweofuran or an analogue thereof. The present invention also provides a process for producing kahweofuran or an analogue thereof using the novel thiophene compound as an intermediate material. Of novel thiophene compounds represented by Formula (1): wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom or a C1-C4 lower alkyl group; R2 is a hydrogen atom or an alcohol-protecting group; R3 is a hydrogen atom, —COR4 or —C(OH)R5 (wherein R4 and R5 each represent a C1-C4 lower alkyl group); provided that when R2 and R3 are hydrogen atoms, R1 is not any of a hydrogen atom, methyl group, or n-propyl group; a thiophene compound represented by Formula (2) is reduced and cyclized in the presence of a transition metal catalyst to produce kahweofuran or kahweofuran analogue (3a) shown below: wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom or a C1-C4 lower alkyl group, and R4 is a C1-C4 lower alkyl group.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for enhancing a foam retention property of a beverage, and in addition a method for stably retaining foam in a beverage, the foam obtained by shaking the beverage, by enhancing the foam retention property. The present invention is implemented by preparing a beverage by using a fermentation-derived cellulose as a raw material thereof, more preferably by preparing a beverage by using a fermentation-derived cellulose in a state of complex with a high molecular substance.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of effectively modifying starch so as to have an inhibitory effect on swelling and disintegration equivalent to that of chemically-linked starch, without using chemicals or a large amount of water. The method of modifying starch includes subjecting a powdery mixture containing starch and water-soluble hemicellulose at a ratio of 99.5:0.5 to 80:20 (weight ratio) to moist-heat treatment at 100 to 200° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a processed food or beverage composition containing a dextrin having the following characteristics (a) to (d): (a) the dextrin has a blue value within the range of 0.4 to 1.2, (b) having a gel strength of 4 N/cm2 or more as measured after being dissolved in distilled water at 80° C. to prepare a 30 wt % aqueous solution of the dextrin, and then being allowed to stand at 5° C. for 24 hours, (c) having a viscosity of 100 mPa·s or less as measured after being dissolved in distilled water at 25° C. to prepare a 30 wt % aqueous solution of the dextrin, and then being allowed to stand at 25° C. for five minutes; and (d) the ratio (A/B) of the following gel strengths A and B being 2 or less: A: a gel strength (N/cm2) as measured after being dissolved in distilled water at 80° C. to prepare a 30 wt % aqueous solution of the dextrin, and then being allowed to stand at 5° C. for 24 hours, and B: a gel strength (N/cm2) as measured after being dissolved in distilled water at 25° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for improving the taste of sweeteners, and a method for improving the taste of edible products containing sweeteners. The present invention can be worked by using sclareolide and 2-acetylpyrrole in combination with a sweetener. By using the method of the present invention, an astringent taste, bitter taste or aftertastes such as lingering taste originating especially in high-intensity sweeteners can be reduced, so that edible products with an improved taste can be provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for improving the sweetness of stevia extract. A composition having an excellent sweetness quality can be obtained by combining rebaudioside A, which is a main sweetness component of stevia extract, with mogroside V, which is a main sweetness component of siraitia grosvenorii extract, at a weight ratio of 95:5 to 60:40. By using the mixture described above as a sweetener, favorable sweetness can be imparted to various products, such as foods, medicines or quasi drugs.

Abstract: The present invention provides a carotenoids color preparation which itself has a high emulsion stability, so that there are no problems such as precipitation of an insoluble matter or neck ring formation even when this preparation is used in water-based products. The preparation is obtained by emulsifying a carotenoids color of natural origin, which has an acid value of 10 or less and an acetone-insoluble content of 5 wt % or less when adjusted so that the color value E10%1cm is 2550.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing isoquercitrin, ?-glycosylisoquercitrin, and rhamnose, the method comprising a step of naringin-degrading enzyme treatment during the isoquercitrin production from rutin in the presence of an edible component, such as gelatin, wheat gluten, chitosan, lecithin, a glycerol fatty acid ester, xanthan gum, carrageenan, sodium chondroitin sulfate, casein, enzymatically decomposed gelatin, sodium alginate, konjac extract, gellan gum, guar gum, soybean protein, agar, pectin, yeast extract, egg-white peptide, cluster dextrin, gum arabic, arginine, sodium metaphosphate, karaya gum, locust bean gum, sodium pyrophosphate, glucosamine, chitin, sodium glutamate, dextrin, trehalose, or a grain-based food ingredients. According to the present invention, isoquercitrin and ?-glycosylisoquercitrin, which are of use as antioxidants, anti-fading agents, flavor change inhibitors, etc., can be produced in enhanced yields.

Abstract: A composition which is obtained by causing a specific compound to be present together with sucralose. The composition provides a sucralose in a stable form, more particularly, a sucralose which is still stable and thus is significantly suppressed with respect to the decrease in sweetness and discoloration (browning, blackening), even when it is subjected to a warming treatment under a condition wherein temperature is high and especially water content is low and/or pH is low. The stabilized sucralose-containing composition can be used as a sweetener by itself and as a compound with a food or a drug.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a chewing composition containing Coenzyme Q10 with improved release properties in the oral cavity. Another object is to provide a process for improving the release properties of Coenzyme Q10 in the oral cavity. Coenzyme Q10 is encapsulated in cyclodextrin, and the resulting inclusion complex is used as a Coenzyme Q10 component. The content of Coenzyme Q10 in the inclusion complex is preferably low. It is preferably 40 wt % or less, and more preferably 20 wt %.

Abstract: The present invention provides a colorant derived from Ipomoea Batatas that is completely free of an odor originating from Ipomoea Batatas, or in which the odor has been significantly reduced, and a colorant formulation containing the colorant. The present invention also provides a method for producing the odorless or low-odor colorant derived from Ipomoea Batatas. The colorant of the invention derived from Ipomoea Batatas can be prepared by subjecting an adsorption-treated product of an Ipomoea Batatas colorant extract to at least one treatment selected from adsorption, ion exchange, acid treatment, enzyme treatment, and membrane separation, so that the concentration of the aroma components contained therein is 150 ppm or less when the color value is E(10%/1 cm)=160.

Abstract: The present invention provides a colorant derived from Ipomoea Batatas that is completely free of an odor originating from Ipomoea Batatas, or in which the odor has been significantly reduced, and a colorant formulation containing the colorant. The present invention also provides a method for producing the odorless or low-odor colorant derived from Ipomoea Batatas. The colorant of the invention derived from Ipomoea Batatas can be prepared by subjecting an adsorption-treated product of an Ipomoea Batatas colorant extract to at least one treatment selected from adsorption, ion exchange, acid treatment, enzyme treatment, and membrane separation, so that the concentration of the aroma components contained therein is 150 ppm or less when the color value is E(10%/1 cm)=160.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ?-glycosyl isoquercitrin-containing novel composition which has a high in vivo absorbability, and hence exhibits a significant in vivo antioxidative activity. The present invention further provides preparation methods for such a composition. The composition contains a mixture of quercetin glycosides represented by the following formula: wherein Glc represents a glucose residue, and n is 0 or a positive integer of 1 or more, includes at least a quercetin glycoside wherein n is 3, and satisfies the following requirement (a): (a) the total proportion of quercetin glycosides in which n is 3, and in which other n values may be 1 or 2, or 1 and 2, is 50 mol % or more, and the total proportion of quercetin glycosides wherein n is 4 or more is 15 mol % or less, in the composition. The composition can be prepared by treating an enzymatically modified isoquercitrin with ?-amylase.

Abstract: Concerning, in particular, milk drinks and LL type milk drinks which are produced via the UHT pasteurization and distributed under refrigeration, it is intended to provide a vegetable sterol-containing milk drink containing vegetable sterols, which are in an emulsified state and remain stable without sedimentation during storage, and being excellent in quality preservation and stability. A milk drink is prepared by using an emulsifier with an HLB of from 5 to 7 together with vegetable sterols and milk components. Furthermore, it is possible to add at least one member selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, native gellan gum, carrageenan, sodium caseinate and microcrystalline cellulose.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide acidic oil-in-water emulsified foods with enhanced microwave resistance, heat resistance, or freezing and thawing resistance, and low- or non-cholesterol acidic oil-in-water emulsified foods containing reduced amounts of or no egg yolk at all. The acidic oil-in-water emulsified foods can be prepared by emulsifying water-phase ingredients and oil-phase ingredients into acidic oil-in-water emulsions using gum ghatti or gum ghatti and xanthan gum.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing wine lactone, a method for producing intermediates that are usable in production of wine lactone, and techniques for the application of wine lactone. The method for producing the wine lactone (Compound (6)) of the present invention comprises the following steps (A) to (E): wherein R1 is a C1-4 lower alkyl group.

Abstract: This invention modifies pectin, and improves, by the use of the modified pectin, physical properties of a subject composition, such as dispersion stability, emulsifying activity/emulsion stability, water holding property (syneresis inhibiting property), texture, viscosity development property, and gelling property. Pectin is modified by heating a raw material pectin in the form of a powder at 50 to 150° C. for 1 minute to 48 hours. Preferably, as a raw material pectin to be heated, pectin whose loss upon drying is 20% (w/w) or lower is used. More preferably, the raw material pectin is heated at 50 to 150° C. for 1 minute to 48 hours at a relative humidity of 20 to 90% (w/w) and/or under a reduced pressure.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of preparing emulsion compositions particularly emulsion foods, with excellent emulsifying activity, emulsion stability, heat resistance, and texture or mouthfeel. The method can be performed by carrying out a step (1) mixing pectin obtained by heating sugar beet pectin derived from sugar beet in powder form at a temperature of 50 to 150° C. at a relative humidity of 20 to 90% for 1 to 48 hours with raw materials for emulsion compositions; and a step (2) emulsifying the mixture obtained in the step (1), or, in place of step (1), (a) homogenizing a modified pectin in alternatively water systems; (b) mixing the water dispersions of the modified pectin obtained in step (a) with raw materials for emulsion compositions; and (c) emulsifying the mixture obtained in step (b). Thus, emulsion compositions can be prepared.