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-Ile-Pro-Pro-Leu, Ile-Pro-Pro-Leu, Ile-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 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: There are provided a method of treating organic waste, which is excellent in the smooth temperature elevation in the early stage of the treatment and satisfactory in temperature-maintenance in a high temperature range, and by which the stable treatment of organic waste is achieved and the evaporation of moisture is promoted, thereby a stable effect of treating organic waste and an increased treatment scale being achieved; an agent for treating organic waste; and microorganisms to be used therein. The method is characterized by the use of a mesophilic bacterium showing its activity at 15 to 50° C. and a thermophilic bacterium showing its activity at 50 to 70° C. in the organic waste. As the mesophilic bacteria, bacteria which have an exothermic action and form spores under a temperature of 50° C. or higher are preferable and Bacillus subtilis is more preferable. Among these bacteria, a C-3102 strain (FERM BP-1096) is especially preferable.

Abstract: A renal function-ameliorating agent and a serum creatinine-lowering agent, each comprising as an active ingredient a culture of a bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus, are disclosed. The bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus is preferably Bacillus subtilis, and more preferably Bacillus subtilis C-3102 (FERM BP-1096). The renal function-ameliorating agent and the serum creatinine-lowering agent are useful for treating and preventing diseases such as arteriosclerosis.

Abstract: The present invention provides Lactobacillus bacteria which enhance the functional of Peyer's patch and promote IgA production and which have a characteristics of localizing on human intestine as well as an agent for promoting IgA production.

Abstract: The present invention provides an agent for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction which may be taken daily and continuously, has excellent safety, and is capable of effectively preventing and/or suppressing hepatic dysfunction, such as hepatocellular necrosis, and functional food, such as foods for specified health uses, for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction containing this agent. The agent for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction of the present invention contains whey as the active component, and the functional food for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction contains the agent for preventing or suppressing hepatic dysfunction.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical agents and food products which have no side effects, are easy to ingest continuously, and have a serum triglyceride-lowering effect are provided. A lipid metabolism-ameliorating agent and a serum triglyceride-lowering agent, each comprising as an active ingredient a culture of a bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus, are disclosed. The bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus is preferably Bacillus subtilis, and more preferably Bacillus subtilis C-3102 (FERN BP-1096). The lipid metabolism-ameliorating agent and the serum triglyceride-lowering agent are useful for treating and preventing diseases such as arteriosclerosis.

Abstract: There are disclosed methods for producing fermented milk and whey that enable effective production in high yield of fermented milk and whey having high content of an ACEI peptide that is highly safe and applicable to pharmaceuticals, functional foods, health foods, and the like. The methods are: a method including the steps of mixing lactic acid bacteria and a starting material containing milk by stirring to prepare a mixed material, and fermenting the mixed material under stirring so that curd pieces and whey containing an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory peptide are generated, whereby fermented milk containing the curd pieces and the whey containing the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitory peptide is produced; and a method including the steps of subjecting the resulting fermented milk to centrifugation and/or filter pressing to separate and recover whey.

Abstract: The invention provides functional food and beverage that produce, through oral intake, a promotive effect on normal epidermal keratinization, and an epidermal differentiation and keratinization promoter for use in such functional food and beverage. The epidermal differentiation and keratinization promoter of the present invention contains, as an active component, fermented milk whey obtained by fermentation of milk with bacteria including lactic acid bacteria, such as Latobacillus helveticus. The functional food and beverage for promoting epidermal keratinization of the present invention contains the epidermal differentiation and keratinization promoter.

Abstract: There is provided a rheumatoid arthritis inhibitor for oral intake that has an inhibitory effect on rheumatoid arthritis and is excellent in safety. The rheumatoid arthritis inhibitor for oral intake of the present invention contains, as an active component, a casein hydrolysate containing free amino acids and peptides 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, or a mixture of free amino acids and peptides contained in the hydrolysate.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing a fermented milk that conveniently gives excellent taste and flavor or functionalities, such as antihypertensive effect, to fermented food and beverages. The method enables effective production of particular peptides having useful functions, such as antihypertensive effect, in the resulting fermented milk. The invention also provides fermented milk food and beverages utilizing the fermented milk, which have excellent taste and flavor and even functionality. The present method includes the steps of (A) enzymatically digesting animal milk casein with protease (1) containing particular proteases such as papain, and (B) fermenting animal milk casein or the like with lactic acid bacteria, to thereby produce VPP, IPP, and YP in the resulting fermented milk. The fermented milk food and beverages of the present invention contain the fermented milk obtained by the present method or a concentrate thereof, and VPP, IPP, and YP at or over particular contents.

Abstract: The present invention provides functional food and beverage that produce a skin moisturizing effect through oral intake, that is excellently safe, and that may be taken regularly. The invention also provides a skin moisturizer for oral intake to be used in the functional food and beverage, as well as use thereof. The present skin moisturizer for oral intake contains as an active component fermented milk whey obtained by fermentation of milk with Lactobacillus helveticus, and the present functional food and beverage contains the skin moisturizer and has a skin moisturizing effect.

Abstract: There is provided 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 or the like. 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: According to the present invention a miso with good flavor and a processed food containing the miso are provided, wherein the miso and the food are expected to have an repressing effect on an increase in blood pressure or hypotensive effect by continually taking the miso or food for routinely dietary habit. The present invention also provides a method of producing a miso, wherein peptides with ACE inhibitory activity are effectively produced in the miso without lowering the quality in flavor of miso. In an embodiment of the present invention, animal milk is added at a content of 10% during a mixing step, or a fermentation and ripening step.

Abstract: There is provided a vasodilator having an endothelium-dependent vasodilator effect, a prophylactic of arteriosclerosis, and functional food having an endothelium-dependent vasodilator effect, which is suitable for daily and regular intake and excellent in safety. The vasodilator and the functional food according to the present invention are characterized in at least one of the tripeptides Val-Pro-Pro and Ile-Pro-Pro, or a proteolytic product containing Val-Pro-Pro and/or Ile-Pro-Pro, contained as an active component.

Abstract: A beverage composition is disclosed that comprises a mixture of a protein hydrolysate and vitamin B2, and also contains an amount of ascorbic acid sufficient to prevent the generation of an off-flavor when the mixture is exposed to light. The off-flavor generated upon exposure to light can be reduced in accordance with the beverage composition of the present invention. Alss disclosed is a method for preventing an off-flavor in a beverage composition containing a protein hydrolysate and vitamin B2, and a process for producing a beverage composition containing a protein hydrolysate and vitamin B2. Furthermore, an agent for preventing an off-flavor in a beverage composition containing a protein hydrolysate and vitamin B2, wherein the agent comprises ascorbic acid as an active ingredient is disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing an estrogen-like active intermediate (e.g., secoisolariciresinol) by culturing a lignan (e.g., a lignan derived from Eucommia ulmoides) together with a bacterium Lactobacillus acidophilus. Also disclosed a prophylactic/ameliorating agent for menopausal disorder and a functional beverage/food for preventing/ameliorating menopausal disorder comprising a lignan cultured together with a bacterium Lactobacillus acidophilus as an active ingredient.

Abstract: The present invention provides an antiallergic agent containing, as an active ingredient, lactic acid bacteria selected from the group consisting of lactic acid bacteria of the species Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus fermentum, and combinations thereof. The antiallergic agent is capable of improving allergic diathesis by reducing the IgE level, which is contributive to development of Type I allergy, and is easy to take and highly safe. The present invention also provides use of the antiallergic agent for reducing allergy, and a method for reducing allergy using the antiallergic agent.

Abstract: A bacterial translocation inhibitor containing live Bacillus subtilis cells as an active ingredient, and a method for inhibiting bacterial translocation comprising the step of orally administering the bacterial translocation inhibitor.

Abstract: An inducer of T cell apoptosis and a health food for inducing T cell apoptosis comprising as an active ingredient of a lactic acid bacterium belonging to the genus Lactobacillus or the genus Bifidobacterium are disclosed. Particularly preferred lactic acid bacteria belonging to the genus Lactobacillus or the genus Bifidobacterium are Lactobacillus acidophilus L-92 (FERM BP-4981), Lactobacillus amylovorus CP1750 (FERM BP-10532), Bifidobacterium catenulatum CP2829 (FERM BP-10533) and Bifidobacterium longum CP760 (FERM BP-10531). The inducer of T cell apoptosis of the invention is useful in the prevention and cure of a disease such as an organ-specific autoimmune disease or type I allergy.