Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing confectionery highly stable to heat which can be eaten without being deformed, becoming sticky at the surface or sticking to each other while maintaining the original mouthfeel of chocolate. As a result of the present inventors' intensive studied, it has been found out that a process for producing confectionery highly stable to heat can be provided by making the surface of a refined chocolate paste absorb moisture or bringing chocolate into contact with a moisture-containing food material, and then baking.

Abstract: By finding out a novel use of isoflavones originating in natural materials and being highly safe even when added to foods, it is intended to provide a composition useful in improving various symptoms with the use thereof. It is unexpectedly found out that isoflavones contained in a large amount in leguminous plants such as soybean and clover inhibit SHBG and promote the secretion of estradiol, which is an endogenous hormone, owing to the inhibitory effect.

Abstract: A flavonoid solubilization agent capable of highly solubilizing flavonoids such as isoflavone, baicalin, rutin and naringin whose solubility is generally low; and a method of effecting the above solubilization. Flavonoids can be solubilized by causing a flavonoid and soybean saponin and/or malonyl isoflavone glycoside to be co-present in an aqueous medium.

Abstract: A method for producing a composition containing soluble isoflavones is described, which uses soybean materials as raw materials. The composition is obtained in a natural state without addition of solubilizing agents and chemical modification, and has high solubility under neutral to acidic conditions and good long-term stability under refrigeration. By removing the insoluble materials from the water-extract liquid of a soybean material having a pH value of 2-7 and a temperature of 0-17° C., a composition containing isoflavones can be efficiently obtained with high solubility under neutral to acidic conditions and good stability under refrigeration.

Abstract: A soybean protein beverage having an excellent taste and mouthfeel and high storage stability with preventing formation of a precipitate at a weak acidic region as well as its production process are shown. Said beverage utilizes as its protein source low-phytic acid ?-conglycinin obtained by fractionating and purifying ?-conglycinin which is a soybean protein fraction and further decomposing and removing phytic acid bound to the resultant ?-conglycinin to increase the solubility at a weak acidic region.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fat-soluble lipase inhibitor which can contribute to prevention or treatment of obesity due to excessive fat intake or diseases caused by obesity, can be added to fats and oils of all types, and can mildly inhibit hydrolysis by lipase. The present invention is a lipase inhibitor containing, as the active ingredient, at least one substance which is a fat-soluble substance selected from among SLS type triacylglycerols (i.e., symmetric triacylglycerols composed of S which represents a short-chain fatty acid having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms and L which represents a long-chain fatty acid having from 16 to 22 carbon atoms), LUU type and UUL type triacylglycerols (i.e.

Abstract: A method for fractionating a soybean protein into highly pure 7S globulin and 11S globulin efficiently in an industrial scale is provided, said method comprising warming a solution containing a soybean protein under a weakly acidic condition followed by fractionating at pH 5.6 to 6.6 into a soluble fraction and an insoluble fraction. If necessary, a treatment with a phytase may also be employed in the production method to fractionate into a 7S globulin and a 11S globulin.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing cottony bean curd having freezing-durability, comprising the steps of acting a coagulant on soymilk, in which ungelatinized starch has been formulated, at a temperature lower than the gelatinization starting temperature of the starch and heating the resultant mixture during or after press-forming.

Abstract: There is provided a process for producing tofu wherein a delayed action coagulant is dispersed in heated soybean milk in a static inline mixer provided with a narrowed part and then a thickening raw material is added thereto in an inline mixer provided with a dividing element to thereby continuously and efficiently produced a nigari-tofu product being in a good state and having favorable taste.

Abstract: A process for producing a processed glyceride having a satisfactory color tone and having high purity without the need of a fractionation step, by mitigating the deterioration in a color tone caused by the processing and recycling of a fatty acid ester recovered after an interesterification reaction. The process comprises subjecting a glyceride fat and a fatty acid ester and/or a free fatty acid to interesterification, distilling the reaction product to recover a part or all of fatty acid esters and/or free fatty acids therein, subjecting the distillation fraction recovered to hydrogenation, and to re-distillation or mixing with the fresh fatty acid ester and/or fresh free fatty acid in any order, re-reacting the resultant fraction or mixture with the distillation residue, and separating a fat fraction from the final reaction product, and is characterized in that the content of components other than the fatty acid ester and/or free fatty acid is controlled to 3.0 wt. % or lower.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a method of practically obtaining a natural antioxidant, which gives a sense of security to consumers when added to foods, by efficiently taking out an antioxidant component from soybeans. It is confirmed that a hot water extract obtained by extracting a soybean seeds with hot water at a high temperature exceeding 100° C. under weakly acidic conditions has an antioxidant effect. A low-molecular weight fraction of this hot water extract is further fractionated by taking advantage of a difference in solubility in a water-containing organic solvent or using an appropriate filter suitable for the molecular weight size to thereby efficiently give a highly antioxidant fraction.

Abstract: Coatings for bakery/confectionery use and coated cakes or breads. These coatings have transparency like glaze, and appearance and crispiness like fondant, and suffer from neither stickiness nor sugar-sagging with the passage of time after coating. Coatings for bakery/confectionery use comprising fat and sugar as the main components and containing coarse grains of non-fat components having a grain size of 50 ?m or more; and a process for producing a coating for bakery/confectionery use characterized by heating materials, which comprise fat and sugar as the main components and contain coarse grains of non-fat components having a grain size of 50 ?m or more, to the melting temperature of the fat or above and solidifying the same substantially without pulverizing.

Abstract: A foamed chocolate which can be foamed without resort to any special apparatuses or emulsifiers, has a lightened chocolate texture and shows no oily feel. This foamed chocolate is produced by adding an oil mixture comprising an edible fat or oil with tri-saturated fatty acid glycerides containing behenic acid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a frozen “yuba” which exhibits, after being thawed, a smooth and soft mouthfeel and a satisfactory taste equivalent to those of a fresh lifted-up “yuba”, which includes heating a “yuba” whose water content has been adjusted at 60% or less together with soybean milk adjusted at a concentration of 2 to 12 Bx in a mixing ratio of 1:1 or higher at a temperature of 70 to 100° C. followed by freezing the resultant.

Abstract: A method for fractionation of soybean protein into a 7S globulin-rich fraction and an 11S globulin-rich fraction which comprises treating a soybean protein-containing solution with an enzyme or an enzyme preparation having an activity of decomposing phytic acid to thereby separate into a soluble fraction and an insoluble fraction at a specific pH value.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for preparing a fermented soybean milk comprising the steps of: inoculating a lactic acid bacterium of the genus Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus bulgaricus and one strain selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus casei into soybean milk, and fermenting the same. According to the process of the present invention, lactic acid bacteria fermented soybean milk with great flavor can be provided.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for production of water-soluble vegetable fibers in a high yield with minimizing contamination of protein or amino acids resulting from degradation of protein by degrading water-insoluble vegetable fibers containing protein under acidic conditions of at about the isoelectric point of the protein and at a temperature of 130° C. or lower. Biodegradable films, paste, chewing gum and low calorie food products using the water-soluble vegetable fibers are also disclosed.

Abstract: Wet okara is produced by finely dividing wet okara, feeding it into a scraper type heat exchanger, heating at a temperature of not lower than 120° C., cooling the heated product and filling and sealing the cooled product in a container or package aseptically. By this process, wet okara can be sterilized continuously to obtain okara having good preservability without deterioration of water retention characteristics.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a process for producing a sterilized enzymatic decomposition soybean protein with facilitating separation of a precipitate after decomposition of soybean protein with an enzyme, and with improving a yield of the enzymatic decomposition product, thereby minimizing formation of the dregs upon using in drinks and so on. Said process comprises adding a proteolytic enzyme to a soybean protein solution to effect hydrolysis, heating and cooling the hydrolyzation mixture, separating and removing insolubles from the mixture and heat-sterilizing the resultant supernatant.

Abstract: There is disclosed gas-incorporated chocolate, in particular, air-incorporated chocolate whose chocolate material requires tempering and comprises a polyglycerin fatty acid ester and lecithin, said chocolate material being subjected to tempering with a seed agent. Its production is also disclosed. The gas-incorporated chocolate has light mouthfeel without an oily taste and can be produced with a simple apparatus.