Abstract: The invention provides a method for preparing a peptide for improving brain function, comprising hydrolyzing milk casein with an enzymatic catalyst comprising a protease to produce a hydrolysate comprising: (i) a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or a variant thereof; (ii) a peptide consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 or a variant thereof; or (iii) a mixture of the peptides of (i) and (ii), wherein the production yield of each of the peptides is 2% or more, or the total production yield of the mixture is 10% or more. The invention also provides a food or drink or a pharmaceutical composition containing the hydrolysate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a substance or method for preventing or treating mastitis in ruminant animals, particularly in dairy cows. Specifically provided are: a preventive or therapeutic agent, a feed additive, a feed, and a pharmaceutical composition for ruminant animal mastitis, characterized by comprising, as an active ingredient, a Bacillus genus bacterium having the property of being capable of increasing or maintaining CD11c+ CD172a+ blood dendritic cell gate 2 in cows.

Abstract: This invention provides a means for screening for lactic acid bacteria having immunoregulatory functions in a simple and rapid manner. This invention provides a method for screening for or producing lactic acid bacteria having immunoregulatory functions comprising determining the number of the test lactic acid bacteria bound to the uromodulin (Umod) protein, lactic acid bacteria obtained by such method, and an immunoregulatory composition comprising such lactic acid bacteria.

Abstract: Provided is an agent having at least one of an improving effect on vascular endothelial functions and an inhibitory effect on vascular intimal thickening, as well as a prophylactic of arteriosclerosis, which have excellent safety, improve functions associated with the vascular endothelium, have effects of preventing various diseases associated with vascular endothelial functions and of inhibiting vascular intimal thickening, and may be expected to provide prophylactic effect on arteriosclerosis. The agents of the present invention contain, as an active component: (a) Xaa-Pro-Pro, (b) a hydrolysate of animal milk casein containing Xaa-Pro-Pro, or a concentrate thereof, or (c) a fermentation product containing Ile-Pro-Pro and/or Val-Pro-Pro obtained by fermenting a starting material containing milk protein with a bacterial strain of the species Lactobacillus helveticus.

Abstract: This invention provides an effective means for inhibiting the growth of microorganisms in a concentrate-type milk-based acidic beverage that contains milk after a package is opened. The concentrate-type milk-based acidic beverage of the invention comprises (A) milk, (B) ?-polylysine, and (C) at least one member selected from among benzoic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid esters, and a salt of either thereof, wherein the milk solids-non-fat content is 1.5% to 4.5% by weight, and the Brix value is 40 to 60.

Abstract: The present application provides Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305 strain (FERM BP-11331), Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305s strain (NITE BP-1405), or, a derivative strain (for example, a cold-tolerant derivative strain) derived from Lactobacillus gasseri CP2305 strain (FERM BP-11331) or the CP2305s strain, a method for producing the same, a stress-induced bowel disorder-alleviating agent comprising the derivative strain, a treated product thereof, or a mixture thereof as an active ingredient, and food additives, animal additives, animal feeds, and pharmaceutical compositions containing the agent.

Abstract: The present invention provides a peptide and a composition which are suitable for oral ingestion, and which have a skin aging-inhibiting activity, a collagen-production promoting activity, an epidermal turnover promoting activity, and a cutaneous cell-proliferating effect. The present invention also provides a medicament and a functional food which have a skin aging-inhibiting activity, a collagen-production promoting activity, and a cutaneous cell-proliferation promoting activity. The present invention provides a composition including at least one peptide of Asn-lle-Pro-Pro-Leu, lle-Pro-Pro-Leu, lle-Pro-Pro, Pro-Val-Val-Val-Pro-Pro, Val-Pro-Pro-Phe, Val-Pro-Pro, Phe-Pro-Pro-Gln, and Leu-Pro-Pro-Thr.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a method for producing a compost, comprising composting plant-derived organic waste at a weight reduction rate of 95% or more by fermentation treatment, specifically by subjecting the organic waste to fermentation treatment comprising a primary fermentation, which comprises an intermittently agitated fermentation, and a secondary fermentation, which comprises an aerated fermentation, using a microorganism of Bacillus subtilis strain C-3102 (FERM BP-1096) or a mutant strain thereof; the compost produced by the above method; and a method for producing vegetables using the compost.

Abstract: This invention relates to a sterilization agent for livestock bedding or a composting accelerator for organic waste or livestock bedding, comprising at least one Bacillus coagulans thermophilic bacterium or a combination of the at least one Bacillus coagulans thermophilic bacterium and at least one Bacillus subtilis mesophilic bacterium, as an active ingredient, wherein the Bacillus coagulans thermophilic bacterium as a preferable bacterium is viable at a temperature of 40 to 60° C. and the Bacillus subtilis mesophilic bacterium is viable at a temperature of 30 to 50° C., and the mesophilic bacterium also has a sterilizing effect on harmful bacteria in bedding; and to a method for sterilizing livestock bedding or a method for accelerating composting of organic waste or livestock bedding by using these agents each as an active ingredient.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for detecting guaiacol-producing bacteria in a specimen comprising culturing the specimen or a dilution thereof on a plate of a solid medium for acidophilic bacteria comprising a compound represented by the following formula, wherein R is —H, —OH, —C(O)H, —C(O)CH3, —COOH, C1-C3 alkyl or C1-C3 alkenyl, wherein alkyl and alkenyl may optionally be substituted by —OH, —C(O)H or —COOH); and detecting a colony formed on the solid medium. According to preferred embodiments, the solid medium for acidophilic bacteria comprises 50 ppm or more of vanillic acid and the plate culture is carried out at 20° C. to 55° C. The present invention also provides a solid medium for acidophilic bacteria and a kit for detection of guaiacol-producing bacteria in a specimen. According to the present invention, guaiacol-producing bacteria present in a specimen such as fruit juice raw materials can be detected rapidly in a simple manner.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition which may be ingested orally in a small dose for the purpose of improving brain function, and a method for improving brain function. The present invention is a composition for improving brain function, comprising, as an active ingredient, X-Pro-Pro-Y or a salt thereof, wherein X represent Val, Ile or Asn-Ile and Y represent Phe or Leu.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition which may be ingested orally in a small dose for the purpose of improving brain function, and a method for improving brain function. The present invention is a composition for improving brain function, comprising, as an active ingredient, Phe-Pro.

Abstract: An agent for reducing risk in onset of diseases ascribable to non-dipping circadian profile of blood pressure is provided. This agent is capable of effectively lowering SBP from night to early morning in individuals with non-dipping circadian profile of blood pressure, in particular, normal individuals with normal SBP and DBP among them, and is thus capable of reducing risk in onset, particularly likely in the morning, of diseases caused by circadian variation of blood pressure. The agent is intended for administration to such subjects, and contains a hydrolysate or a concentrate thereof, containing Val-Pro-Pro and Ile-Pro-Pro and obtained by hydrolysis of animal milk protein.

Abstract: An accelerating agent for elimination of dioxins which comprises, as an active ingredient, a microorganism having an activity of accelerating elimination of dioxins in the body to the outside of the body.

Abstract: This invention provides the use of a microorganism capable of improving both lipid metabolism and sugar metabolism. Specifically, the invention relates to: a lipid metabolism and/or sugar metabolism improver comprising, as an active ingredient, a bacterial cell selected from bacteria belonging to the genus Lactobacillus and the genus Bifidobacterium, a treated product of the bacterial cell, or a mixture thereof, having dual-agonistic activities to peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR)? and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR)?; to a food or a beverage comprising the improver; and to a pharmaceutical composition comprising the improver.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent having a suppressive action against the thickening of the heart wall, a prophylactic agent for heart failure containing the above described agent, and functional foods expected to have a prophylactic effect for heart failure. The agent for suppressing heart wall thickening comprises Xaa Pro Pro as an active ingredient.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an effective means and method for activating vagal afferent nerve. The present invention provides a vagus nerve activator comprising bacterial cells and/or a treated product of a lactic acid bacteria as active ingredient(s).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a casein hydrolysate containing free amino acids and in vivo indigestible peptides having minimally suppressed in vivo enzymatic digestibility, and expected to express functions, such as hypotensive effect, in living organism, and to a method for preparing such a hydrolysate, and use thereof. The casein hydrolysate of the present invention contains free amino acids and peptides, such as in vivo indigestible peptides including Xaa-Pro and Xaa-Pro-Pro, obtained by hydrolyzing animal milk casein to have an average chain length of not longer than 2.1 in terms of the number of amino acid residues, and has ACE inhibitory activity or hypotensive effect.

Abstract: Provided are a composition for improving the brain function, which can be orally taken at a low dose, and a method therefor. The composition for improving the brain function contains, as the active ingredient, X-Pro-Pro-Leu-Thr-Gln-Thr-Pro-Val-Val-Val-Pro-Pro-Phe-Leu-Gln-Pro-Glu-Y (wherein X is nil or represents Ile or Asn-Ile; and Y is nil or represents Val-Met), X-Val-Val-Val-Pro-Pro-Phe-Leu-Gln-Pro-Glu-Y (wherein X is abscent or represents Thr-Gln-Thr-Pro, Pro-Leu-Thr-Gln-Thr-Pro, Leu-Thr-Gln-Thr-Pro or Pro; and Y is abscent or represents Val-Met), or a salt of the same. The method for improving the brain function comprises administering said peptide or a salt of the same.