Abstract: A grommet configured to seal an insertion hole formed in a panel into which a pipe is inserted may include a base that is configured to be connected to the insertion hole, a boot that is integrally formed in the base and has a thinned wall thickness, and at least one rib that is formed in the boot. The boot has a truncated cone-shaped main portion having an insertion bore into which the pipe can be inserted, and a connecting portion that is folded back from a circumferential periphery of the main portion via a folded back portion and is connected to the base. The at least one rib is formed in the main portion and the connecting portion while straddling the folded back portion, so as to restrict the main portion from being axially displaced relative to the base.

Abstract: A method for producing a food product of wheat includes the step of adding a bacillus lactase enzyme having activity for transferring sugar to lipid to raw material of wheat, where the food product of wheat produced by the method maintains its freshness for a longer period of time than a food product of wheat produced by a method including no step of adding the enzyme to the material.

Abstract: A novel lactase having a molecular weight of about 3.times.10.sup.5, an optimum pH value of about 6.0, an optimum temperature of about 60.degree. C. and at least 1 of the ratio of the activity for hydrolyzing lactose to the activity for hydrolyzing a synthetic substrate: o-nitrophenyl-.beta.-D-galactopyranoside (Lact/ONPG ratio), which is produced by cultivating a microorganism of the genus Bacillus being capable of producing the enzyme, particularly Bacillus circulans LOB 377 (ATCC No. 31382) and isolating from the culture broth. This novel lactase is characteristic in the excellent thermostability and the high Lact/ONPG ratio and hence is useful for treating milk and milk products as well as for preventing diarrhea due to lactose intolerance, especially in babies and infants.

Abstract: A process for purifying saccharin comprising the steps of adding butyl acetate or a mixture of butyl acetate and ethyl acetate as an extracting solvent to an aqueous solution of water-soluble metal salt or ammonium salt of saccharin to remove organic impurities from the saccharin by extraction, the volume of ethyl acetate not exceeding that of butyl acetate, concentrating and cooling the resulting aqueous layer to precipitate crystals having an organic impurity content of not higher than 120 p.p.m. and recrystallizing the crystals from water to obtain saccharin having an organic impurity content of not higher than 10 p.p.m.