Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver in spite of the alcohol intake history of a level that a liver disease is not caused. The inventors found that glutathione has an effect of preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver, which is not caused by alcohol, and completed the present invention. Among nonalcoholic fat diseases, the present invention is particularly effective in an early stage of the treatment or in a case where treatment for another disease is not performed.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver in spite of the alcohol intake history of a level that a liver disease is not caused. The inventors found that glutathione has an effect of preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver, which is not caused by alcohol, and completed the present invention. Among nonalcoholic fat diseases, the present invention is particularly effective in an early stage of the treatment or in a case where treatment for another disease is not performed.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver in spite of the alcohol intake history of a level that a liver disease is not caused. The inventors found that glutathione has an effect of preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver, which is not caused by alcohol, and completed the present invention. Among nonalcoholic fat diseases, the present invention is particularly effective in an early stage of the treatment or in a case where treatment for another disease is not performed.

Abstract: Low-salt processed foods or drinks frequently taste like something is missing because of the less salty taste thereof. Although salt substitutes and flavoring agents are often used to offer a sense of satisfaction, these additives exhibit only limited effects or cause some troubles of, for example, changing the original flavor of food. Under these circumstances, the present invention addresses the problem of enhancing the salty taste of a low-salt processed food or drink without imparting any undesired taste thereto. To solve the above problem, the present inventors conducted intensive studies and, as a result, found that an effect of comfortably and naturally enhancing salty taste can be achieved by adding a composition, which comprises dietary fibers, in particular, glucan and mannan at a specific ratio, to common processed foods or drinks including low-salt processed foods or drinks.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver in spite of the alcohol intake history of a level that a liver disease is not caused. The inventors found that glutathione has an effect of preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver, which is not caused by alcohol, and completed the present invention. Among nonalcoholic fat diseases, the present invention is particularly effective in an early stage of the treatment or in a case where treatment for another disease is not performed.

Abstract: [Problem] The present invention seeks to provide a composition for plants that is highly safe and that contributes to early harvesting, increasing yield, and increasing added value of crops. Specifically, the present invention provides a yeast extract that, by addition to a foliar surface spray or to soil or water, provides an effect of promoting growth, an effect of root lengthening, an effect of improved taste, and an effect of increased amino acid content of a plant. A substance obtained from yeast that is edible and considered to be safe is preferred as the yeast extract. [Means for Solving the Problem] A yeast extract having a peptide content of 5 wt % or more and an RNA content of 5 wt % or more is sprayed onto or provided as fertilizer to a plant. The yeast extract is preferably derived from Candida utilis, which is edible and considered to be safe.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel method for producing L-cysteine in place of a conventional fermentation method. More specifically, the object is to provide a method for producing L-cysteine by the combination of heat-resistant enzymes. In particular, the object is to provide a method for efficiently producing a pathway for synthesizing O-phosphoserine from 3-phosphoglyceric acid (3PG) via phosphohydroxypyruvic acid (HPV). The present invention solved the problem by a method for producing O-phosphoserine including acting phosphoserine aminotransferase (PSAT) and 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PGDH) that are each derived from a thermophilic bacterium on 3PG to generate O-phosphoserine, and a method for producing L-cysteine including the step described above.

Abstract: A method for producing a foaming material for a composition to be foamed, the method includes: suspending a yeast cell residue in water; adjusting a pH of a yeast cell suspension to an acidic side; and heating a yeast cell suspension, the foaming material includes a yeast extract having a protein content of 35% by weight or more per solid content and a dietary fiber content of 30% by weight or more per solid content, and the foaming material is contained in the composition at from 0.001% to 1% by weight.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide an agent suppressing an increase in blood sugar level, said agent being capable of controlling blood sugar level even in a patient having normal blood sugar level or a patient corresponding to pre-diabetes, showing little side effects and being derived from a safe food. Also, the present invention addresses the problem of providing foods and drinks, i.e., foods including health foods, functional foods, health supplements, etc. as well as drinks, each comprising the aforesaid composition. [Solution] An extract of yeast to be used as an active ingredient. As the extract of yeast, it was found that a yeast extract, which can be obtained by a simple procedure comprising treating a yeast with hot water, an acid or an alkali, and/or an enzyme, has an improved effect of suppressing an increase in blood sugar level.

Abstract: [Problem] Low-salt processed foods or drinks frequently taste like something is missing because of the less salty taste thereof. Although salt substitutes and flavoring agents are often used to offer a sense of satisfaction, these additives exhibit only limited effects or cause sonic troubles of, for example, changing the original flavor of food. Under these circumstances, the present invention addresses the problem of enhancing the salty taste of a low-salt processed food or drink without imparting any undesired taste thereto. [Solution] To solve the above problem, the present inventors conducted intensive studies and, as a result, found that an effect of comfortably and naturally enhancing salty taste can be achieved by adding a composition, which comprises dietary fibers, in particular, glucan and mannan at a specific ratio, to common processed foods or drinks including low-salt processed foods or drinks.

Abstract: [Problem] To make a color of a processed food containing anthocyanin pigment into a vibrant color. In this respect, using a common foodstuff that is cheap and highly safe, without adding a coloring agent, and not imparting an incongruous flavor to the food is preferred. [Means for Solving the Problem] To an anthocyanin pigment or a common processed food containing anthocyanin pigment is added, in an appropriate amount, a yeast extract containing 5 wt % or more of a peptide, 5 wt % or more of RNA, 4 wt % or less of free amino acid, and preferably further containing 15 wt % or more of dietary fiber.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver in spite of the alcohol intake history of a level that a liver disease is not caused. The inventors found that glutathione has an effect of preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver, which is not caused by alcohol, and completed the present invention. Among nonalcoholic fat diseases, the present invention is particularly effective in an early stage of the treatment or in a case where treatment for another disease is not performed.

Abstract: To provide effective use from a yeast extract residue, an excess of which is produced as a byproduct of yeast extract, or reduction in amount of the yeast extract residue. Also to obtain various useful substances. A cell wall lytic enzyme having no protease is allowed to act on a yeast extract residue, after which a heat treatment is performed at 70 to 80° C. for 10 to 20 minutes, thereby enabling separation into a fraction of primarily cell walls and a fraction of primarily protein. A yeast protein having a protein content of 60% or more is obtained from the fraction of primarily protein and, by subjecting the yeast protein to enzymatic degradation, a seasoning having a high amount of total nitrogen is obtained.

Abstract: [Problem] To manufacture a foaming member using a low-cost method having little environmental impact, in which the air bubbles in an air-bubble-containing product are enhanced and stability is improved, without imparting viscosity, coloring, flavor, cloudiness, odor, etc. Also, to provide an effective use of yeast cell residue generated as a byproduct of a yeast extract. [Solution] A yeast cell residue remaining after a useful extract is removed from a yeast is suspended in water, and is heated after pH adjustment, and then a supernatant is obtained by centrifugal separation. This fraction contains, in relation to the solid content, 35 wt % or more of protein and 30 wt % or more of dietary fiber, and is usable in the foaming member.

Abstract: In order to provide a culture medium eliminating variation by lot of component concentrations, the present invention provides a culture medium, and preferably a chemical-synthetic culture medium, imparting a proliferation ability to yeast that is equivalent to or greater than that of a YPD culture medium. A culture medium is provided which includes sugars as a carbon source capable of being assimilated by yeast; amino acids as a nitrogen source; vitamins; inositol; zinc ion (Zn2+); potassium ion (K+), and magnesium ion (Mg2+), and in which inositol concentration is between 50 and 10,000 mg/L.

Abstract: [Problem] The present invention seeks to provide a composition for plants that is highly safe and that contributes to early harvesting, increasing yield, and increasing added value of crops. Specifically, the present invention provides a yeast extract that, by addition to a foliar surface spray or to soil or water, provides an effect of promoting growth, an effect of root lengthening, an effect of improved taste, and an effect of increased amino acid content of a plant. A substance obtained from yeast that is edible and considered to be safe is preferred as the yeast extract. [Means for Solving the Problem] A yeast extract having a peptide content of 5 wt % or more and an RNA content of 5 wt % or more is sprayed onto or provided as fertilizer to a plant. The yeast extract is preferably derived from Candida utilis, which is edible and considered to be safe.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver in spite of the alcohol intake history of a level that a liver disease is not caused. The inventors found that glutathione has an effect of preventing or improving fat deposition on the liver, which is not caused by alcohol, and completed the present invention. Among nonalcoholic fat diseases, the present invention is particularly effective in an early stage of the treatment or in a case where treatment for another disease is not performed.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide a phospholipid ?-linolenic acid composition of consistent quality and having a stable supply of source material, with focus on Torula yeast, which is edible and recognized as safe, in order to resolve issues with omega 3 sources. [Means for Solving the Problem] As a result of intensive study to resolve the above-noted issues, the inventors of the present invention have discovered that a phospholipid ?-linolenic acid composition can be obtained using residue of yeast extract extracted from Torula yeast (Candida utilis), for example, which is currently produced in large quantities for application in foods, and so arrived at the present invention.

Abstract: [Problem] To produce a frozen bread dough improver that has an effect of improving rising of frozen bread dough, is highly safe, and tasteless, using a method that is low-cost and low in environmental impact. Also, to effectively use yeast cell body residue produced as a byproduct of yeast extract. [Means for Solving the Problem] Yeast cell body residue remaining after extracting useful extract from yeast is suspended in water and heated, after which the suspension is subjected to centrifugal separation and a supernatant is obtained. This fraction contains, per solid content, at least 45 wt % RNA, at least 5 wt % dietary fiber, and at least 10 wt % protein, and mannan content in the dietary fiber is at least 60 wt %. This can be used to improve rising of frozen bread dough.

Abstract: The present invention features compositions that include a fungal glucosylceramide (GlcCer) purified from a non-pathogenic fungus (e.g., Candida utilis) and, optionally, an adjuvant. The invention also features methods of treating a patient who has a fungal disease and methods of preventing a fungal disease in a subject by administration of these compositions. Also within the scope of the invention are methods of formulating a fungal vaccine by: (a) providing a fungal glucosylceramide isolated from a non-pathogenic fungus; and (b) combining the fungal glucosylceramide with an adjuvant in a physiologically acceptable excipient.