Abstract: Provided is a food or beverage product having good taste with sharp astringent taste of cycloaspartylglycine in the food or beverage product reduced. The content of cycloaspartylglycine and the weight ratio of the content of glucose to the content of maltose ([glucose]/[maltose] weight ratio) in the food or beverage product are adjusted to fall within specific ranges.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide extracts available for use in acidic beverage production and containing 2,5-piperazinedione,3,6-bis(phenylmethyl)-,(3S,6S)-, which is a useful substance with an improving effect on learning motivation. When an acid treatment step is included in the production of extracts containing 2,5-piperazinedione,3,6-bis(phenylmethyl)-,(3S,6S)-, it is possible to obtain acidic extracts which cause no sedimentation even when added to beverages. The extracts of the present invention can be added to beverages and so on without impairing the taste inherent to foods and beverages, and can be used for production of acidic beverages preferred by most consumers.

Abstract: Extracts or beverages whose ratio between the content of 2,5-piperazinedione,3,6-bis(phenylmethyl)-,(3S,6S)-(unit: ?g/100 g) and Brix (Bx) is 6 (?g/100 g)/Bx or more are good in flavor and feeling on the tongue and further have a good appearance.

Abstract: Provided is a food or beverage product having good taste, with lingering unpleasant bitterness unique to cycloalanylserine in the food or beverage product reduced. The content of cycloalanylserine and the content of ethanol and/or propylene glycol in the food or beverage product are adjusted to fall within specific ranges.

Abstract: Provided is a food or beverage product having good taste with sharp astringent taste of cycloaspartylglycine in the food or beverage product reduced. The content of cycloaspartylglycine and the weight ratio of the content of glucose to the content of maltose ([glucose]/[maltose] weight ratio) in the food or beverage product are adjusted to fall within specific ranges.

Abstract: Provided is a food or beverage product having good taste, with lingering unpleasant bitterness unique to epigallocatechin gallate in the food or beverage product reduced. The content of epigallocatechin gallate and the content of cycloprolyl threonine in the food or beverage product are adjusted to fall within specific ranges.

Abstract: The present invention has as its objects to provide beverages that contain hydroxytyrosol but are comfortable to drink, and to provide a method for reducing the hydroxytyrosol-derived harshness and off-flavor of a hydroxytyrosol-containing beverage. A beverage comprising 0.5 to 50 mg/100 mL of hydroxytyrosol, and further comprising ethanol and/or propylene glycol. A beverage comprising 0.5 to 50 mg/100 mL of hydroxytyrosol, and further comprising caffeine. A beverage comprising 0.5 to 50 mg/100 mL of hydroxytyrosol, and further comprising glucose and maltose at a (weight) ratio of [glucose]/[maltose] of 0.001 to 1.

Abstract: Provided is a composition having a good flavor in which unpleasant bitterness caused by caffeine is suppressed without reducing or removing caffeine in the composition. The caffeine content and the cycloalanylalanine content of the composition are adjusted to specific ranges.

Abstract: Extracts or beverages whose ratio between the content of 2,5-piperazinedione,3,6-bis(phenylmethyl)-,(3S,6S)-(unit: ?g/100 g) and Brix (Bx) is 6 (?g/100 g)/Bx or more are good in flavor and feeling on the tongue and further have a good appearance.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette is provided with a shaft container including a reel-out shaft holder having a reel-out shaft bearing journaling an ink ribbon reel-out shaft; a reel-in shaft holder having a reel-in shaft bearing journaling an ink ribbon reel-in shaft; and a pair of lateral bodies connecting the reel-out shaft holder to the reel-in shaft holder. A reel-out shaft holder cover 19 adapted to cover the reel-out shaft holder of the shaft container is connected to the reel-out shaft holder via a first connecting body. A reel-in shaft holder cover adapted to cover the reel-in shaft holder of the shaft container is connected to the reel-in shaft holder via a second connecting body. The first and second connecting bodies and have two or more hinges.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide extracts or beverages containing 2,5-piperazinedione,3,6-bis(phenylmethyl)-,(3S,6S)—, which is a useful substance with an improving effect on learning motivation, in an easy-to-ingest form and at a high concentration. Extracts or beverages whose ratio between the content of 2,5-piperazinedione,3,6-bis(phenyl-methyl)-,(3S,6S)— (unit: ?g/100 g) and Brix(Bx) is 6 (?g/100 g)/Bx or more can be ingested continuously over a long period of time as foods and beverages useful for improvement of learning motivation.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide extracts available for use in acidic beverage production and containing 2,5-piperazinedione,3,6-bis(phenylmethyl)-,(3S,6S)-, which is a useful substance with an improving effect on learning motivation. When an acid treatment step is included in the production of extracts containing 2,5-piperazinedione,3,6-bis(phenylmethyl)-,(3S,6S)-, it is possible to obtain acidic extracts which cause no sedimentation even when added to beverages. The extracts of the present invention can be added to beverages and so on without impairing the taste inherent to foods and beverages, and can be used for production of acidic beverages preferred by most consumers.

Abstract: A fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage base obtained by mixing a high concentration of fruit juice and a high concentration of alcohol or its dilution-type alcoholic beverage is provided. The fruit juice is contained at a specific ratio to the alcohol so that the irritation distinctive of alcohol is reduced or eliminated and the base has a flavor of mature fruit. In particular, a fruit juice-containing alcoholic beverage base containing at least 9 v/v % of an alcohol and a fruit juice wherein the fruit juice is contained in an amount that is at least 11.5 times the amount of the alcohol, based on the percentage of fruit juice, or an alcoholic beverage prepared by dilution of the base is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides an alcohol-containing fruit juice beverage containing 9 v/v % or more of alcohol and a fruit juice selected from the group consisting of apple juice, grapefruit juice and grape juice, wherein the beverage further contains (A) at least 5.0 mg/100 ml of chlorogenic acids when the fruit juice is apple juice, (B) at least 60 mg/100 ml of malic acid when the fruit juice is grapefruit juice, or (C) at least 30 mg/100 ml of potassium ions when the fruit juice is grape juice, whereby an irritation that is distinctive of alcohol and originates from the high concentration of alcohol is reduced and the flavor of mature fruit is enhanced.

Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette 10 is provided with a shaft container 23 including a reel-out shaft holder 17 having a reel-out shaft bearing 13 journaling an ink ribbon reel-out shaft 12; a reel-in shaft holder 20 having a reel-in shaft bearing 15 journaling an ink ribbon reel-in shaft 14; and a pair of lateral bodies 16 connecting the reel-out shaft holder 17 to the reel-in shaft holder 20. A reel-out shaft holder cover 19 adapted to cover the reel-out shaft holder 17 of the shaft container 23 is connected to the reel-out shaft holder 17 via a first connecting body 18. A reel-in shaft holder cover 22 adapted to cover the reel-in shaft holder 20 of the shaft container 23 is connected to the reel-in shaft holder 20 via a second connecting body 21. The first and second connecting bodies 18 and 21 have two or more hinges 18a and 18b; and 21a and 21b, respectively.

Abstract: An organic substance analyzing method is disclosed. A sample container 21 charged with a granulated rock sample is installed in a thermal cracking furnace 1. The thermal cracking furnace 1 is connected to a vacuum suction line 27 to be evacuated until a substantial vacuum is created therein, whereupon the furnace is closed. The closed thermal cracking furnace is rapidly heated to a first temperature at which hydrocarbons are more or less cracked but inorganic carbonates are not decomposed. The thermal cracking furnace is maintained at this temperature for a fixed time and then is cooled to a temperature at which the hydrocarbons in the thermal cracking furnace do not react with air. Then the furnace is connected to an air supply line 29 and an exhaust line 35 to pass the produced gases in the furnace to a hydrocarbon detector 34 and a CO.sub.2 detector 33. From the output signals therefrom, HC peak P1 and CO.sub.2 peak P3 are found and recorded.