Abstract: A lifespan extending agent that is safe for animals, and can easily be ingested in a form that resembles foods. A lifespan extending method is also disclosed. In the lifespan extending agent, a rare sugar usable as a sweetener is contained as an active ingredient.

Abstract: There are provided a highly safe epimerase usable in food industry, and a method for producing a ketose. The epimerase is a ketose 3-epimerase obtainable from a microorganism of the genus Arthrobacter, and having the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 of the Sequence Listing, and (1) substrate specificity whereby a D- or L-ketose is epimerized at position 3 to produce a corresponding D- or L-ketose, and (2) the highest substrate specificity for D-fructose and D-psicose among D- and L-ketoses. The ketose 3-epimerase is also represented by SEQ ID NO: 3 or SEQ ID NO: 4 of the Sequence Listing, and epimerizes a D- or L-ketose at position 3 to produce a corresponding D- or L-ketose.

Abstract: Problems Development of a process of producing inexpensive and safe hexose and compositions of the same. Means for Resolution A process of producing a sugar composition comprising a definite amount of an target hexose, comprising treating a starting liquid sugar material comprising a starting sugar material hexose or a mixture comprising hexose in a system in the presence of one or more types selected from the group consisting of basic ion exchange resins, alkalis and calcium salts to initiate an isomerization reaction as an equilibrium reaction to transform the starting sugar material hexose to the target hexose to prepare a sugar mixture comprising a definite amount of the target hexose and having a sugar constitution different from that of the starting sugar material, and hexose compositions containing D-allose and D-psicose and the use of the hexose compositions.

Abstract: There are provided a highly safe epimerase usable in food industry, and a method for producing a ketose. Resolution: The epimerase is a ketose 3-epimerase obtainable from a microorganism of the genus Arthrobacter, and having (1) substrate specificity whereby a D- or L-ketose is epimerized at position 3 to produce a corresponding D- or L-ketose, and (2) the highest substrate specificity for D-fructose and D-psicose among D- and L-ketoses.

Abstract: A novel polyol oxidase is derived from a microorganism belonging to the genus Penicillium and is specified by the properties (a) to (e): (a) it has a stable pH of 6.0 or higher and an optimum reaction pH of from 7.0 to 9.0; (b) it has an operating temperature of 50° C. or lower and an optimum reaction temperature of 40° C.; (c) it has a molecular weight of about 113 kDa; (d) it specifically recognizes the structure of a polyol in which the OH groups at positions 2 and 3 are in the L-erythro configuration and reacts with the polyol, but cannot recognize the structure of a polyol in which the OH group at position 4 is in the L-ribo configuration and does not react with the polyol; and (e) it has substrate specificity for D-arabitol, erythritol, D-mannitol, and D-sorbitol, which are listed in descending order of specificity.

Abstract: Task: There are provided a highly safe epimerase usable in food industry, and a method for producing a ketose. Resolution: The epimerase is a ketose 3-epimerase obtainable from a microorganism of the genus Arthrobacter, and having (1) substrate specificity whereby a D- or L-ketose is epimerized at position 3 to produce a corresponding D- or L-ketose, and (2) the highest substrate specificity for D-fructose and D-psicose among D- and L-ketoses.

Abstract: A lifespan extending agent that is safe for animals, and can easily be ingested in a form that resembles foods. A lifespan extending method is also disclosed. In the lifespan extending agent, a rare sugar usable as a sweetener is contained as an active ingredient.

Abstract: Problems Development of a process of producing inexpensive and safe hexose and compositions of the same. Means for Resolution A process of producing a sugar composition comprising a definite amount of an target hexose, comprising treating a starting liquid sugar material comprising a starting sugar material hexose or a mixture comprising hexose in a system in the presence of one or more types selected from the group consisting of basic ion exchange resins, alkalis and calcium salts to initiate an isomerization reaction as an equilibrium reaction to transform the starting sugar material hexose to the target hexose to prepare a sugar mixture comprising a definite amount of the target hexose and having a sugar constitution different from that of the starting sugar material, and hexose compositions containing D-allose and D-psicose and the use of the hexose compositions.