Abstract: An enzyme is altered by introducing an additional hydrophobic group to enhance the hydrophobic environment in the enzyme so as to interfere with entrance of a water molecule. In this connection, the site of introduction and kind of hydrophobic group to be introduced are selected on the basis of comprehensive analysis of amino acid sequence, three-dimensional structure, reaction mechanism or the like of the target enzyme. Using this method, an amino acid residue of neopullulanase derived from Bacillus stearothermophilus was replaced by another amino acid.

Abstract: Raw cacao beans are heated in hot water or water vapor containing an acidic, alkaline or alcoholic substance without being subjected to fermentation or after being slightly fermented, whereby enzymes contained in the beans are inactivated, or microorganisms present on the beans are destroyed, nibs of the beans being thereby prevented from undergoing a color change.This method enables production of white cacao nibs, and it is thus possible to prepare white chocolates and other varieties of food having good flavor and taste by using such cacao nibs.

Abstract: In order to convey thin, long and relatively fragile sticks one after another successively in which those too long are trimmed short and those too short are eliminated so that sticks substantially uniform in length can be conveyed to the next step without fail in:(1) a device having an endless belt or the like with a multiplicity of grooves capable of accommodating the stick but shorter than the stick and perpendicular to the belt's advancing direction, a guide having introducer after where the stick is fed and a limiter or an opposed guide opposite to the guide;(2) a device having the aforementioned belt or the like, guide, limiter or opposed guide and a guide plate disposed in front thereof apart from or in contact with the limiter or the opposed guide; and(3) a device having the aforementioned belt or the like, guide, opposed guide, deterrent plate above the guide, horizontal air blow near the last end of the guide and a pressing member behind the horizontal air blow at a position opposite thereto.