Abstract: The present invention relates to a production method of an oil containing triglyceride in which medium chain fatty acids are bound to the 1- and 3-positions of the triglyceride and polyunsaturated fatty acid is bound to the 2 position by allowing lipase, which specifically acts on ester bonds at the 1- and 3-positions that has been immobilized on a porous ion exchange resin support having a pore size of about 100 Angstroms or more, to act on a mixture of medium-chain fatty acids and raw material oil containing at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid selected from the group consisting of ?6 series polyunsaturated fatty acid having 18 or more carbon atoms and 3 or more double bonds and ?9 series polyunsaturated fatty acid having 18 or more carbon atoms and 2 or more double bonds, but not containing ?3 series polyunsaturated fatty acid, oils and fats or triglycerides obtained by that method, and the use of the oils and fats or triglycerides in a food, beverage or pharmaceutical composition.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fucoidan-derived low molecular weight compound with a good quality of taste, which has a specified structure and function and is free from problems in absorption, antigenicity, uniformity, an anticoagulant activity and so on, which problems arise when developing fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide having an extremely large molecular weight, as drugs or health foods. As a result of analyzing low molecular weight compounds obtained by acid hydrolysis of fucoidan, the inventors have identified fucoidan oligosaccharides (I) to (XI). Further, these oligosaccharides have been found to have anti-obesity and/or blood glucose elevation suppressing effects through inhibition of carbohydrate and/or lipid absorption as a result of ?-glucosidase inhibition and/or lipase inhibition.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a production method of an oil containing triglyceride in which medium chain fatty acids are bound to the 1- and 3-positions of the triglyceride and polyunsaturated fatty acid is bound to the 2 position by allowing lipase, which specifically acts on ester bonds at the 1- and 3-positions that has been immobilized on a porous ion exchange resin support having a pore size of about 100 Angstroms or more, to act on a mixture of medium-chain fatty acids and raw material oil containing at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid selected from the group consisting of ?6 series polyunsaturated fatty acid having 18 or more carbon atoms and 3 or more double bonds and ?9 series polyunsaturated fatty acid having 18 or more carbon atoms and 2 or more double bonds, but not containing ?3 series polyunsaturated fatty acid, oils and fats or triglycerides obtained by that method, and the use of the oils and fats or triglycerides in a food, beverage or pharmaceutical composition.

Abstract: A process for preparing lipids which contain docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and/or docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) is disclosed. The process includes the steps of cultivating in a medium a microorganism which belongs to the genus Ulkenia having the ability to produce DHA and/or DPA and recovering the lipids from the culture. The process may further include the step of separating DHA and/or DPA from the lipids.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a production method of an oil containing triglyceride in which medium chain fatty acids are bound to the 1- and 3-positions of the triglyceride and polyunsaturated fatty acid is bound to the 2 position by allowing lipase, which specifically acts on ester bonds at the 1- and 3-positions that has been immobilized on a porous ion exchange resin support having a pore size of about 100 Angstroms or more, to act on a mixture of medium-chain fatty acids and raw material oil containing at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid selected from the group consisting of ?6 series polyunsaturated fatty acid having 18 or more carbon atoms and 3 or more double bonds and ?9 series polyunsaturated fatty acid having 18 or more carbon atoms and 2 or more double bonds, but not containing ?3 series polyunsaturated fatty acid, oils and fats or triglycerides obtained by that method, and the use of the oils and fats or triglycerides in a food, beverage or pharmaceutical composition.

Abstract: To provide a high-purity xylooligosaccharide composition while preventing the formation of UV-absorbing substances and coloring matters. A high-pure xylooligosaccharide composition containing reduced UV-absorbing substances and reduced coloring matters and a method of producing the same which comprises alkali-treating or pressure- and heat-treating a plant material such as wood, corn cob, cotton seed hull, bagasse or rice straw, further enzymatically treating the same, and purifying the crude saccharide solution containing the residues thus obtained, wherein the solution is concentrated and then optionally subjected to desalting and active carbon-treatment. According to the method of the invention, the saccharified solution is concentrated followed by the desalting and active-carbon treating so that a high-purity xylooligosaccharide composition can be produced while preventing the formation of UV-absorbing substances and coloring matters.

Abstract: In a process for the production of diacylglycerol-containing fat/oil where the ratio of diacylglycerol to the total neutral lipid is more than 20% by weight and a polyunsaturated fatty acid is a constituting fatty acid, a process which is characterized in that a microbe being able to produce said fat/oil is incubated and, if desired, said fat/oil is collected.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a production method of an oil containing triglyceride in which medium chain fatty acids are bound to the 1- and 3-positions of the triglyceride and polyunsaturated fatty acid is bound to the 2 position by allowing lipase, which specifically acts on ester bonds at the 1- and 3-positions that has been immobilized on a porous ion exchange resin support having a pore size of about 100 Angstroms or more, to act on a mixture of medium-chain fatty acids and raw material oil containing at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid selected from the group consisting of &ohgr;6 series polyunsaturated fatty acid having 18 or more carbon atoms and 3 or more double bonds and &ohgr;9 series polyunsaturated fatty acid having 18 or more carbon atoms and 2 or more double bonds, but not containing &ohgr;3 series polyunsaturated fatty acid, oils and fats or triglycerides obtained by that method, and the use of the oils and fats or triglycerides in a food, beverage or pharmaceutical composition.

Abstract: A process for preparing lipids which contain docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and/or docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) is disclosed. The process includes the steps of cultivating in a medium a microorganism which belongs to the genus Ulkenia having the ability to produce DHA and/or DPA and recovering the lipids from the culture. The process may further include the step of separating DHA and/or DPA from the lipids.

Abstract: A process for preparing lipids which contain docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and/or docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) is disclosed. The process includes the steps of cultivating in a medium a microorganism which belongs to the genus Ulkenia having the ability to produce DHA and/or DPA and recovering the lipids from the culture. The process may further include the step of separating DHA and/or DPA from the lipids.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel triglyceride and a composition containing that novel triglyceride having a triglyceride structure of the human breast milk type, which triglyceride has a saturated fatty acid having 16-18 carbon atoms at the position 2, at the position 1 and/or 3; which is and at least one &ohgr;6, &ohgr;9 or &ohgr;3 unsaturated fatty acid manufactured by subjecting a glyceride in which a saturated fatty acid having 16 to 18 carbon atoms is bonded at position 2 to transesterification using a lipase and a &ohgr;6, &ohgr;9 or &ohgr;3-unsaturated fatty acid.

Abstract: A Bifidobacterium bifidum proliferation promoting composition comprising a xylooligosaccharide which contains xylobiose as its principal component is disclosed. The xylooligosaccharide is obtained by enzymatically or physicochemically treating either xylan or hemicellulose derived from a natural source. Bifidobacterium bifidum which is useful for man is encouraged to proliferate in the intestines by the xylooligosaccharide which is not readily assimilated by Escherichia coli but is readily utilized by Bifidobacterium bifidum. The xylooligosaccharide is advantageously stable when exposed to acids or heat.

Abstract: Xylobiose-containing skin preparations for external use are disclosed. Skin preparations for external use into which xylobiose may be incorporated include cosmetics such as clear lotions, milky lotions, packs and lip treatments, drugs or quasidrugs such as ointments and cataplasms, hair-care products such as rinses and hair conditions, and detergents such as hair shampoos and body shampoos. Xylobiose is typically contained in an amount of 0.0001-20 wt %, preferably 0.1-10 wt %, of the total amount of the skin preparation on a dry solids basis. The incorporation of xylobiose is effective not only in preventing the occurrence of stickiness, color change and malodor in the skin preparations but also in providing enhanced moisture retention and reducing excessive roughness and dryness of the skin and hair.

Abstract: A process for producing microcapsules which comprises forming a wall of coacervates on microdroplets of an oily substance of water-insoluble solid particles through reaction between gelatin and an anionic polymer, allowing a ylidoid compound to act on the coacervates so that cross-linking occurs between the polymer molecules of gelatin to harden the microcapsules.

Abstract: An enzyme is immobilized by contacting the enzyme with a support in a solution containing an iridoid aglycone cross-linking agent. The cross-linking agent may be genipin or an aglycone or an iridoid glycoside such as geniposide, gardenoside or geniposide acid.

Abstract: A natural blue dye composition that has improved stability and which can be used as a colorant in a broad range of applications including foodstuffs and drugs, and a process for preparing the same are disclosed.Genipin which is derived from gardenia fruit by hydrolysis of iridoid glycoside geniposide under action of .beta.-glucosidase, is reacted with taurine to produce a stable blue dye compositions.