Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a method of culturing lactic acid bacteria to obtain a lactic acid bacteria culture in which the number of lactic acid bacteria can be stably maintained, and to obtain food and drink products comprising a lactic acid bacteria culture excellent in product stability. In order to accomplish the object, the present invention provides a method of culturing lactic acid bacteria comprising inoculating lactic acid bacteria to a medium comprising a milk ingredient having a free phosphoric acid concentration of less than 0.25 wt %, and a phosphate, and food and drink products comprising the lactic acid bacteria culture obtained by this culturing method.

Abstract: A method for detecting and quantifying galacto-oligosaccharide in a sample containing galacto-oligosaccharide and dextrin is characterized in that the sample is caused to react with a derivatizing reagent to derivatize the dextrin and galacto-oligosaccharide in the sample, after which the galacto-oligosaccharide component in the sample is separated by high-performance liquid chromatography using a C30 reverse-phase chromatography column, thereby accurately detecting and quantifying galacto-oligosaccharide with ease and at low cost.

Abstract: A method for detecting and quantifying galacto-oligosaccharide in a sample containing galacto-oligosaccharide and dextrin is characterized in that the sample is caused to react with a derivatizing reagent to derivatize the dextrin and galacto-oligosaccharide in the sample, after which the galacto-oligosaccharide component in the sample is separated by high-performance liquid chromatography using a C30 reverse-phase chromatography column, thereby accurately detecting and quantifying galacto-oligosaccharide with ease and at low cost.

Abstract: A microorganism capable of degrading an estrogenic substance contained in wastewater and the like; a method for the simple and effective degradation of an estrogenic substance contained in domestic wastewater, wastewater discharged from a livestock farm, or the like by using the microorganism; and an apparatus for achieving the degradation are provided. An estrogenic substance-degrading microorganism which belongs to the genus Pseudaminobacter, Gordonia, Nocardia, Zoogloea, Pandoraea, Cryptococcus or Trichosporon and has an ability to degrade an estrogenic substance; a method for the degration of an estrogenic substance by using the microorganism; and an apparatus for achieving the degradation are provided.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a method of culturing lactic acid bacteria to obtain a lactic acid bacteria culture in which the number of lactic acid bacteria can be stably maintained, and to obtain food and drink products comprising a lactic acid bacteria culture excellent in product stability. In order to accomplish the object, the present invention provides a method of culturing lactic acid bacteria comprising inoculating lactic acid bacteria to a medium comprising a milk ingredient having a free phosphoric acid concentration of less than 0.25 wt %, and a phosphate, and food and drink products comprising the lactic acid bacteria culture obtained by this culturing method.

Abstract: A microorganism capable of degrading an estrogenic substance contained in wastewater and the like; a method for the simple and effective degradation of an estrogenic substance contained in domestic wastewater, wastewater discharged from a livestock farm, or the like by using the microorganism; and an apparatus for achieving the degradation are provided. An estrogenic substance-degrading microorganism which belongs to the genus Pseudaminobacter, Gordonia, Nocardia, Zoogloea, Pandoraea, Cryptococcus or Trichosporon and has an ability to degrade an estrogenic substance; a method for the degration of an estrogenic substance by using the microorganism; and an apparatus for achieving the degradation are provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ?-amylase activity inhibitor, and to food and beverages comprising the ?-amylase activity inhibitor. The ?-amylase activity inhibitor of the present invention exhibits remarkably excellent ?-amylase inhibitory activity as compared with guava extract. Accordingly, food and beverages containing the ?-amylase activity inhibitor are diet food and beverages suitable for people of high blood-sugar level or hyderlipidemia.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an &agr;-amylase activity inhibitor containing, as an effective component, polyphenols obtained through the following process: guava leaves and/or guava fruit are subjected to extraction with one or more solvents selected from among water and hydrophilic solvents; the resultant extract is subjected to ultrafiltration, to thereby remove substances having a molecular weight of less than 5,000; the remaining fraction is subjected to the butyl support hydrophobic chromatography. The elution (flow rate: 1 mL/min) of the sample was accomplished with the pH gradient by use of sodium dihydrogenphosphate and sodium phosphate solution (0.02 mol/L) and a fraction of the eluted substance is recovered, which fraction corresponds to the third single peak of an elution curve which is obtained when the absorbance of the substance is measured at 260 nm.