Abstract: A highly digestible, good preference, relatively high-quality fermented formula feed which is obtainable by mixing a soybean feed material and a wheat splinter capable of decomposing phytin in an amount of not less than that of the soybean feed material, d.s.b., and subjecting the mixture to a lactic acid fermentation under humid conditions.

Abstract: .alpha.-Isomaltosyl .alpha.-isomaltoside represented by O-.alpha.-D-glucopyranosyl-(1.fwdarw.6)-.alpha.-D-glucopyranosyl O-.alpha.-D-glucopyranosyl-(1.fwdarw.6)-.alpha.-D-glucopyranoside is a novel non-reducing saccharide which promotes the growth of bifid bacteria, has an anti-caries activity, and promotes the mineral absorption. Similarly as the non-reducing saccharide, .alpha.-isomaltosyl .alpha.-glucoside and .alpha.-isomaltotriosyl .alpha.-glucoside can be also used to prevent caries and promote the growth of bifid bacteria and the mineral absorption. These saccharides can be used alone or in combination in a variety of foods, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Abstract: A thermostable trehalose phosphorylase which is obtainable from microorganisms of the genus Thermoanaerobium and which hydrolyzes trehalose in the presence of an inorganic phosphoric acid to form D-glucose and .beta.-D-glucose-1-phosphoric acid. The trehalose phosphorylase can be also prepared by recombinant DNA technology. When the enzyme is allowed to contact with .beta.-D-glucose-1-phosphoric acid as a saccharide donor in the presence of other saccharides, glucosyl-transferred saccharides including glucosyl-D-galactoside, which are conventionally known but scarcely obtainable, can be produced on an industrial-scale and in a relatively-low cost.

Abstract: .alpha.-Isomaltosyl .alpha.-isomaltoside represented by O-.alpha.-D-glucopyranosyl -(1.fwdarw.6)-.alpha.-D-glucopyranosyl O-.alpha.-D-glucopyranosyl-(1.fwdarw.6) -.alpha.-D-glucopyranoside is a novel non-reducing saccharide which promotes the growth of bifid bacteria, has an anti-caries activity, and promotes the mineral absorption. Similarly as the non-reducing saccharide, .alpha.-isomaltosyl .alpha.-glucoside and .alpha.-isomaltotriosyl .alpha.-glucoside can be also used to prevent caries and promote the growth of bifid bacteria and the mineral absorption. These saccharides can be used alone or in combination in a variety of foods, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel amylase which mainly forms maltohexaose and maltoheptaose when reacted with starch, but does not substantially hydrolyze maltohexaose and an oligosaccharide of lower molecular than maltohexaose. The amylase can be prepared from microorganisms of the genus Alcaligenes, and has a relatively-high optimum temperature and thermal stability, as well as a relatively-wide range of optimum pH and pH stability. By using the amylase, saccharide compositions rich in maltohexaose and/or maltoheptaose or those rich on maltohexaitol and/or maltoheptaitol can be readily prepared in an industrial scale, and the saccharide compositions thus obtained can be used in a variety of food products, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Abstract: A thermostable trehalose phosphorylase which is obtainable from microorganisms of the genus Thermoanaerobium and which hydrolyzes trehalose in the presence of an inorganic phosphoric acid to form D-glucose and .beta.-D-glucose-1-phosphoric acid. The trehalose phosphorylase can be also prepared by recombinant DNA technology. When the enzyme is allowed to contact with .beta.-D-glucose-1-phosphoric acid as a saccharide donor in the presence of other saccharides, glucosyl-transferred saccharides including glucosyl-D-galactoside, which are conventionally known but scarcely obtainable, can be produced on an industrial-scale and in a relatively-low cost.

Abstract: A .beta.-fructofuranosidase with a molecular weight of 49,000.+-.5,000 daltons on SDS-PAGE, an isoelectric point of 4.6.+-.0.5, an optimum pH of about 5.5-6.0, and an optimum temperature of about 50.degree. C. in the presence of calcium ion. The enzyme acts on saccharides with a .beta.-fructofuranosidic linkage and other substances including other saccharides, sugar alcohols, and alcohols to produce fructosyl-transferred saccharides in a relatively high yield.

Abstract: An apoptosis-controlling agent comprising a carrier and as an effective ingredient 3-?4-hydroxy-3,5-bis(3-methyl-2-butenyl)phenyl!-2-propenoic acid and/or its physiologically acceptable salt(s). The agent promotes the apoptosis of abnormal cells without substantially affecting the apoptosis of normal cells.

Abstract: A saccharide composition containing trehalulose, which is obtainable by allowing a maltose/trehalose converting enzyme to act on a sucrose solution to produce trehalulose, and collecting the resulting trehalulose-containing mixture. Since the enzyme converts sucrose into trehalulose in a relatively high yield and the conversion rate is controllable, a saccharide composition rich in trehalulose is readily obtained on an industrial scale.

Abstract: Microorganisms which are able to produce maltose/trehalose conversion enzyme, a novel enzyme, are cultivated in nutrient culture media with malose. During the cultivation, the microorganisms readily convert maltose into trehalose to accumulate trehalose in the cultures which yield saccharide mixtures with high trehalose contents when separated from insoluble substances. Removal of contaminant saccharides and subsequent crystallization readily yield trehalose in crystalline trehalose hydrate or anhydrous crystalline form. The trehalose and saccharide mixture containing the same commonly bear desirable properties including mild sweetness and superior stability which render them very useful in a variety of compositions indlucing food products, cosmetics and medicines.

Abstract: A .beta.-fructofuranosidase with a molecular weight of 49,000.+-.5,000 daltons on SDS-PAGE, an isoelectric point of 4.6.+-.0.5, an optimum pH of about 5.5-6.0, and an optimum temperature of about 50.degree. C. in the presence of calcium ion. The enzyme acts on saccharides with a .beta.-fructofuranosidic linkage and other substances including other saccharides, sugar alcohols, and alcohols to produce fructosyl-transferred saccharides in a relatively high yield.

Abstract: Microorganisms which are able to produce maltose/trehalose conversion enzyme, a novel enzyme, are cultivated in nutrient culture media with malose. During the cultivation, the microorganisms readily convert maltose into trehalose to accumulate trehalose in the cultures which yield saccharide mixtures with high trehalose contents when separated from insoluble substances. Removal of contaminant saccharides and subsequent crystallization readily yield trehalose in crystal-line trehalose hydrate or anhydrous crystalline form. The trehalose and saccharide mixture containing the same commonly bear desirable properties including mild sweetness and superior stability which render them very useful in a variety of compositions including food products, cosmetics and medicines.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel amylase which mainly forms maltohexaose and maltoheptaose when acts on starch, but does not substantially hydrolyze maltohexaose and a lower molecular oligosaccharide than maltohexaose. The amylase can be prepared from microorganisms of the genus Alcaligenes, and has a relatively-high optimum temperature and thermal stability, as well as a relatively-wide range of optimum pH and pH stability. By using the amylase, saccharide compositions rich in maltohexaose and/or maltoheptaose or those rich in maltohexaitol and/or maltoheptaitol can be readily prepared in an industrial scale, and the saccharide compositions thus obtained can be used in a variety of food products, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Abstract: An enzyme, which has a molecular weight of about 57,000-120,000 daltons on SDS-PAGE and a pI of about 3.8-5.1 on isoelectrophoresis using ampholyte, converts maltose into trehalose and vice versa. The enzyme was isolated from microorganisms of the genera Pimelobacter, Pseudomonas and Thermus. By using the enzyme, trehalose is readily formed from a commercially available maltose in an industrial scale and a relatively-low cost. Trehalose and saccharide compositions containing the same, which are preparable with the enzyme, are suitably used in food products, cosmetic compositions and pharmaceutical compositions.

Abstract: Disclosed are novel thermostable non-reducing saccharides-forming enzyme, its preparation and uses. The enzyme is obtainable from the culture of microorganisms such as Sulfolobus acidocaldarius (ATCC 33909 and ATCC 49426) and Sulfolobus solfataricus (ATCC 35091 and ATCC 35092), and capable of forming non-reducing saccharides having a trehalose structure as an end unit when allowed to act on reducing partial starch hydrolysates at a temperature of over 55.degree. C. Glucoamylase and .alpha.-glucosidase readily yield trehalose when allowed to act on the non-reducing saccharides. These non-reducing saccharides and trehalose are extensively useful in food products, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Abstract: Neotrehalose is prepared in a relatively high-yield by a process comprising allowing .beta.-galactosidase to act on a solution containing lactoneotrehalose to form neotrehalose and recoverying the resultant neotrehalose. The neotrehalose is a non-reducing oligosaccharide having a satisfiable stability and a rich- and high-quality-sweetness and is assimilated and utilized as energy source in vivo when orally administered. Neotrehalose in the form of crystal has a satisfiable handleability because it is readily soluble in water and substantially free of hygroscopicity. These render neotrehalose very useful in the fields of food-, cosmetic- and pharmaceutical-industries.

Abstract: Disclosed is an alkali-treated bagasse prepared by softening a bagasse with calcium oxide together with or without sodium hydroxide while preventing the substantial decomposition of cellulose and hemicellulose, a bagasse feed and a fermented bagasse feed prepared from the alkali-treated bagasse, and their preparations and uses as well as bacteria for fermenting the alkali-treated bagasse. These bagasse and bagasse feeds save sugar-refinery industries from the difficulties to treat bagasse deemed as an unutilized industrial waste, and livestock farming industries from the shortage of roughage, and further is extremely significant in agriculture, industries of sweetening products, feed industries and livestock product processors. A bacterium strain particularly useful for the fermentation is Enterococcus faecium FERM BP-4504.

Abstract: A composition for supplementing energy to a living body containing neotrehalose as effective ingredient. Neotrehalose is a disaccharide, therefore, when used in an energy supplementing composition, provides twice as much energy as does a monosaccharide. Neotrehalose has non-reducing properties, and this renders the composition containing neotrehalose stable for a relatively-long time period.

Abstract: Disclosed are a novel preparation of neotrehalose and its uses. The preparation comprises allowing .alpha.-amylase to act on an amylaceous substance to form neotrehalose, and recovering said neotrehalose. The neotrehalose has a satisfiable chemical stability, as well as other properties such as a sweeteness, energy-imparting ability, osmosis-regulating ability, filler-imparting ability, gloss-imparting ability, moisture-retaining ability, viscosity-imparting ability, crystallization-preventing ability, and non-fermentability. These properties render the neotrehalose advantageously useful in preparations of a variety of compositions.

Abstract: A highly-digestible, preferred taste and high-quality fermented bagasse feed prepared by incorporating a lactic acid bacterium capable of proliferating in an alkaline nutrient culture medium of not less than pH 9.5 or in a nutrient culture medium containing sodium chloride of 6.5 w/w % into an alkali-treated bagasse which is prepared by softening a bagasse while preventing the substantial decomposition of cellulose and hemicellulose, and succeedingly fermenting the resultant mixture, and to its preparation and uses.