Abstract: This invention provides a preparation of a powdered plant sterol ester which comprises a plant sterol ester, an octenyl succinate-modified starch and an indigestible dextrin. The preparation can be prepared by a method comprising the steps of emulsifying a plant sterol ester in an aqueous solution containing an octenyl succinate-modified starch and an indigestible dextrin to form an emulsion and then powdering the resulting emulsion. The invention permits the application of plant sterol esters to wide variety of foods and drinks. In addition, the invention permits the effective control of an increase of the serum-cholesterol content accompanied by the intake of meals.

Abstract: To provide an IgA production promoter capable of being easily ingested safely and continually, for example orally and capable of preventing infection by inhibiting the binding of pathogenic microorganisms to alimentary canal mucosa and preventing an allergic reaction by blocking the passage of allergen materials such as pollen and house dust through the wall of the alimentary tract. The present invention consists of an IgA production promoter comprising hydroxypropyl starch as an effective ingredient. The IgA production promoter of the present invention can be safely and continually ingested because the effective ingredient thereof is hydroxypropyl starch used in food and the like, and can prevent infection by inhibiting the binding of pathogenic microorganisms to alimentary canal mucosa and prevent an allergic reaction by blocking the passage of allergen materials such as pollen and house dust through the wall of the alimentary tract.

Abstract: The invention provides a sparkling alcoholic beverage produced using, as a part of ingredients thereof, at least one selected from the group consisting of etherified starch, etherified cross-linked starch and enzymatic hydrolysates thereof; and a method for producing the sparkling alcoholic beverage, wherein at least one selected from the group consisting of etherified starch, etherified cross-linked starch and enzymatic hydrolysates thereof is added in any step of the production process. The sparkling alcoholic beverage of the invention has good body and prolonged froth duration and contains water-soluble dietary fiber.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a solution that makes use of a food product that is effective for the detrimental decline of energy metabolism in humans and other mammals in need of treatment and/or prevention of accelerated energy expenditure and/or diminished energy expenditure functionality. The method disclosed herein continuously administers a functional food product rare sugar containing at least D-psicose to effectively improve energy expenditure.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing indigestible dextrin which is inexpensive and can simply and efficiently suppress coloring. The method for producing indigestible dextrin includes the steps of liquefying pyrodextrin and saccharifying pyrodextrin, wherein at least one of the liquefying step and the saccharifying step is performed in the presence of activated carbon.

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: Disclosed herein are a method for improving the saltiness of a food or drink, and the saltiness of a food or drink containing a salt and a grain. The saltiness enhancing method enhances the saltiness of salt-containing food or drink by adding a rare sugar to a raw material of the food or drink. The saltiness enhancing method is a method for reducing the salt content in a food or drink containing a salt, or a method for masking a grain odor due to a grain in a raw material of the food or drink that contains the grain as a part thereof and contains a salt. The rare sugar contains at least D-psicose.

Abstract: A preservative solution for low temperature preservation of animal or human organs and animal or plant tissues or cells contains D-allose. For the human kidney, cells derived from animals or humans, or human or animal sperm and/or ovum and/or fermented ovum, the preservation is conducted at from ?5 to 20° C. For cells derived from animals or humans, or human or animal sperm and/or ovum and/or fermented ovum, the preservation is conducted at a temperature at which to start freezing to ?196° C. A method for the low temperature preservation of an animal or human organ and an animal or plant tissue or cell at a low temperature comprises (a) refluxing or immersing a preservative solution containing D-allose and the organ or the tissue or mixing the cell therewith, and (b) cooling the organ, the tissue or the cell to a low temperature of from ?5 to 20° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a non-digestible hydroxypropyl starch hydrolysate which can be used as novel water soluble dietary fiber, a method for producing it, as well as food products and beverages containing the non-digestible hydroxypropyl starch hydrolysate. The present invention provides the non-digestible hydroxypropyl starch hydrolysate characterized by having a DE value of less than 20 and a glucose content of less than 3% by mass; food products and beverages containing it; and the method for producing the non-digestible hydroxypropyl starch hydrolysate comprising the steps of: (A) hydrolyzing a hydroxypropyl starch with a degree of substitution of 0.05 to 0.4 with ?-amylase and then with glucoamylase; and (B) removing glucose from the hydrolysate obtained in the step (A).

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an agent for suppressing elevation of blood alcohol concentration and a method for suppressing elevation of blood alcohol concentration, the agent and the method enabling prevention of an intoxication state upon drinking and further prevention of hepatic dysfunctions due to drinking such as fatty liver. Provided are an agent for suppressing elevation of blood alcohol concentration, comprising a dextrin as an active ingredient, and a method for suppressing elevation of blood alcohol concentration, comprising, when alcohol is ingested, ingesting 0.5 parts by mass or more of a digestible dextrin and/or an indigestible dextrin relative to 1 part by mass of the ingested alcohol.

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: Provided herein is an enzyme protein produced by a highly safe microorganism and having the activity to isomerize D-psicose to D-allose. The protein is any of the following proteins (a) to (c) with the activity to isomerize D-psicose to D-allose. (a) A protein comprising the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 originating in strain 710 of a microorganism of genus Streptomyces (Deposition Number: NITE BP-01423), or SEQ ID NO: 2 originating in strain 720 of a microorganism of genus Streptomyces (Deposition Number: NITE BP-01424), and having the activity to isomerize D-psicose to D-allose. (b) A protein comprising the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 2 with the substitution, addition, insertion, or deletion of one or several amino acid residues, and having the activity to isomerize D-psicose to D-allose.

Abstract: Conventional dried materials have a low oil adsorption property and oil retention ability. Therefore, a dried material that has an excellent oil adsorbing property and oil retention ability has been desired. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an oil-adsorbing composition that has an excellent oil adsorption property and oil retention ability; a method for producing the oil-adsorbing composition; and a method for using the oil-adsorbing composition.

Abstract: A low-calorie food or drink, particularly an edible product (a food or drink) with an improved distinctive strange taste (particularly bitterness remaining in the mouth) has low calories and is obtained by replacing part or most of the sugar or isomerized sugar to be added by a high-intensity sweetener. Provided are a composition for improving a taste of a high-intensity sweetener, a method of improving a taste of an edible product containing a high-intensity sweetener, and an edible product in which a taste of a high-intensity sweetener is improved, each of which is characterized by containing or using an isomerized sugar and a rare sugar such that the rare sugar is contained or used in an amount of from 1 to 150 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the isomerized sugar.

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: An object of the present invention is to improve a distinctive strange taste (particularly bitterness remaining in the mouth) of a conventional low-calorie food or drink, particularly an edible product (a food or drink) having low calories obtained by replacing part or most of the sugar or isomerized sugar to be added by a high-intensity sweetener. Provided are a composition for improving a taste of a high-intensity sweetener, a method of improving a taste of an edible product containing a high-intensity sweetener, and an edible product in which a taste of a high-intensity sweetener is improved, each of which is characterized by containing or using an isomerized sugar and a rare sugar such that the rare sugar is contained or used in an amount of from 1 to 150 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of the isomerized sugar.

Abstract: Object: To provide a homogeneous sugar composition containing sucrose, which is widely used as a sweetener in the food industry, and D-psicose, which has physiological effects such as lowering body fat. Also to provide a food or drink, a drug or quasi-drug, or a cosmetic in which a sucrose mixture that contains D-psicose is used. Configuration: The sugar composition containing sucrose and D-psicose, wherein crystals of the sucrose is coated with the D-psicose in a crystalline or amorphous state. The content of the D-psicose is 1 part by weight or more and 50 parts by weight or less relative to 100 parts by weight of the total weight of the sucrose and the D-psicose.

Abstract: A composition for treating disordered conditions in association with glucokinase activity contains a glucokinase-activating substance as the active ingredient. A promoting agent of glucokinase transfer from nucleus to cytoplasm contains D-psicose and/or D-tagatose as the active ingredient or a composition for preventing the onset of disordered conditions in association with glucokinase activity or for therapeutically treating the disordered conditions is in a form selected from a group consisting of food additives, food materials, drinks and foods, health drinks and foods, pharmaceutical product and feeds in blend with D-psicose and/or D-tagatose as the active ingredient for use in preventing the onset of disordered conditions in association with glucokinase activity or for therapeutically treating the disordered conditions, which are selected from impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, insulin resistance, abnormal lipidemia, the metabolic syndrome and obesity.

Abstract: A composition for improving biometabolism parameters is provided. The composition contains D-psicose as an active ingredient, and is continuously ingested in a dose of 5 g or more per intake in terms of D-psicose to lower biometabolism parameters represented by a uric acid level and/or a liver function indicator component level. ?-GTP showed a significant decrease after 4 weeks from 15-g ingestion. ?-GTP and ALP showed a significant decrease after 4 weeks and 2 weeks, respectively, from the ingestion of D-psicose continuously administered three times each day in a dose of 5 g or more per intake.