Abstract: Disclosed is an anti-fatty liver agent comprising a cell and/or a culture obtained by culturing a lactic acid bacterium belonging to Lactobacillus gasseri as an active ingredient. Also disclosed is a pharmaceutical agent having an anti-fatty liver activity or an anti-fatty liver beverage/food comprising a cell and/or a culture obtained by culturing a lactic acid bacterium belonging to Lactobacillus gasseri as an active ingredient.

Abstract: A protein synthesis promoter that exhibits a protein synthesis-promoting effect includes a whey protein hydrolyzate having a molecular weight distribution that is within a range of 10 kDa or less and has a main peak of 200 Da to 3 kDa, an average peptide length (APL) of 2 to 8, a free amino acid content of 20% or less, a branched-chain amino acid content of 20% or more, and an antigenicity equal to or less than 1/100,000th of that of ?-lactoglobulin.

Abstract: The invention addresses the problem of providing a skin-beautifying agent with beautifying effects such as skin moisturizing, skin beautification, prevention of rough skin, wrinkle prevention, prevention of reduced elasticity, etc., and a skin-beautifying product such as a cosmetic, food or drink, feed, medicine, etc. that contains said skin-beautifying agent. The skin-beautifying agent is characterized in containing a hydrolyzate of whey protein as an active ingredient. Using a whey protein hydrolyzate having the characteristics of a molecular weight distribution of 10 kDa or less, a main peak of 200 Da-3 kDa, APL (average peptide length) of 2-8, free amino acid content of 20% or less, and a ?-lactoglobulin antigenicity of 1/10,000 or less, in particular, provides a skin-beautifying agent of low allergenicity and low bitterness.

Abstract: A problem of the present invention is to provide a skin collagen production-promoting agent without safety problems. Another problem of the present invention is to provide a skin collagen production-promoting food or drink product and a skin collagen production-promoting cosmetic product containing such a substance. TGF-? and/or a TGF-? degradation product, which is acquired by degrading TGF-? with a protease such as pepsin, pancreatin, etc., are used as a skin collagen production-promoting agent or the active ingredient of a skin collagen production-promoting food or drink product and a skin collagen production-promoting cosmetic product. The aforementioned TGF-? and/or TGF-? degradation product have an effect of increasing the collagen content of the skin.

Abstract: A milk protein fraction having following properties (1) to (4) is excellent in bone resorption inhibitory effect, and is useful for preventing or treating bone diseases: (1) the milk protein fraction is derived from milk; (2) the milk protein fraction is a fraction containing a protein having a molecular weight of 12,000 to 16,000 Daltons; (3) the milk protein fraction has a basic amino acid content of 18 to 20 wt % in the constitutional amino acid composition, and the ratio of the amount of a basic amino acid(s) to the amount of an acidic amino acid(s) is 0.7 to 0.9; and (4) the milk protein fraction has a bone resorption inhibitory effect.

Abstract: Provided is a food containing milk ceramide that solves the problems of sedimentation and non-uniformity within the food. Also provided is a process for producing the food. Milk ceramide is transformed into a paste and added to a food. In this manner, it becomes possible to add 0.3-10.0% of milk ceramide to a food homogeneously without causing precipitation. Thus, a food can be provided, which contains milk ceramide homogeneously in such an amount that cannot be achieved by conventional techniques without causing sedimentation.

Abstract: A skin-beautifying agent, food, beverage, or feed for skin-beautification which has cosmetic effects such as moisturizing and beautifying the skin as well as preventing skin roughness and wrinkles by oral intake. Also described is a skin-beautifying agent containing a milk-derived phospholipid as an effective ingredient, and to provide food, beverage, or feed for skin- beautification containing the skin-beautifying agent. The milk-derived phospholipid is preferably a composition prepared from milk or milk material containing 40 to 70% by weight of lipid in a total solid content and containing 30% or more by weight of milk-derived phospholipid.

Abstract: A skin collagen production-promoting agent includes a milk protein fraction having following properties (a) to (c) as an active ingredient: (a) being derived from milk, (b) containing proteins having a molecular weight determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of 6000 to 150,000 daltons, and (c) containing 12 to 14 wt % of basic amino acids with respect to the constituent amino acid composition, and having a basic amino acid/acidic amino acid ratio of 0.5 to 0.7.

Abstract: It is intended to find novel pharmaceutical use of sphingomyelin and to provide preventive or therapeutic agents for various diseases as well as a food and drink product and feed comprising any of these agents. The present invention provides a pharmaceutical agent which contains sphingomyelin as an active ingredient and is any of the following agents: 1) a sialomucin secretion promoter, 2) an agent for preventing drunken sickness (hangover), 3) an antiallergic agent, 4) an antioxidant, 5) an agent for defending against infection, 6) a hair growth agent, 7) a therapeutic agent for demyelinating disease, 8) an anti-pigmentation agent, 9) an anti-inflammatory agent, and 10) an agent for improving learning ability. The present invention also provides a food and drink product or feed, characterized by comprising the agent. It is preferred that the sphingomyelin should be derived from milk.

Abstract: Skin quality is improved by orally administering a cystatin and/or a degraded product of cystatin in an amount of 10 ?g/day or more per adult, or applying a composition that includes a cystatin and/or a degraded product of cystatin in an amount of 0.001 to 2 wt % based on a total amount of the composition.

Abstract: It is intended to find novel pharmaceutical use of sphingomyelin and to provide preventive or therapeutic agents for various diseases as well as a food and drink product and feed comprising any of these agents. The present invention provides a pharmaceutical agent which contains sphingomyelin as an active ingredient and is any of the following agents: 1) a sialomucin secretion promoter, 2) an agent for preventing drunken sickness (hangover), 3) an antiallergic agent, 4) an antioxidant, 5) an agent for defending against infection, 6) a hair growth agent, 7) a therapeutic agent for demyelinating disease, 8) an anti-pigmentation agent, 9) an anti-inflammatory agent, and 10) an agent for improving learning ability. The present invention also provides a food and drink product or feed, characterized by comprising the agent. It is preferred that the sphingomyelin should be derived from milk.

Abstract: Provide a visceral fat reducing agent for reducing the diseases and conditions associated with the metabolic syndrome which represents a condition where various risk factors such as those for hypertension, hyperlipemia, glucose tolerance dysfunction, etc., have accumulated, or simply reducing an accumulation of visceral fat, wherein the effective ingredient of said visceral fat reducing agent includes fungus bodies of lactic bacteria, especially lactic bacteria belonging to the Lactobacillus sp. and Lactococcus sp. and/or cultures thereof, while also providing a beverage, food or feed containing said visceral fat reducing agent.

Abstract: Disclosed is a bone-reinforcing agent which comprises a milk protein fraction having the following properties (1) to (4): (1) the milk protein fraction is derived from milk; (2) the milk protein fraction is a fraction containing a protein component having a molecular weight of 6,000 to 150,000 Daltons; (3) the milk protein fraction has a basic amino acid content of 12 to 14 wt % in the constitutional amino acid composition, and the ratio of the amount of a basic amino acid(s) to the amount of an acidic amino acid(s) is 0.5 to 0.7; and (4) the milk protein fraction has an activity of accelerating the calcification in an osteoblast.

Abstract: It is intended to find novel pharmaceutical use of sphingomyelin and to provide preventive or therapeutic agents for various diseases as well as a food and drink product and feed comprising any of these agents. The present invention provides a pharmaceutical agent which contains sphingomyelin as an active ingredient and is any of the following agents: 1) a sialomucin secretion promoter, 2) an agent for preventing drunken sickness (hangover), 3) an antiallergic agent, 4) an antioxidant, 5) an agent for defending against infection, 6) a hair growth agent, 7) a therapeutic agent for demyelinating disease, 8) an anti-pigmentation agent, 9) an anti-inflammatory agent, and 10) an agent for improving learning ability. The present invention also provides a food and drink product or feed, characterized by comprising the agent. It is preferred that the sphingomyelin should be derived from milk.

Abstract: A muscle atrophy-preventing agent includes a whey protein hydrolyzate having a molecular weight distribution that is within a range of 10 kDa or less and has a main peak of 200 Da to 3 kDa, an average peptide length (APL) of 2 to 8, a free amino acid content of 20% or less, a branched-chain amino acid content of 20% or more, and an antigenicity equal to or less than 1/100,000th of that of ?-lactoglobulin. The muscle atrophy-preventing agent exhibits an excellent muscle atrophy-preventing effect.

Abstract: A protein synthesis promoter that exhibits a protein synthesis-promoting effect includes a whey protein hydrolyzate having a molecular weight distribution that is within a range of 10 kDa or less and has a main peak of 200 Da to 3 kDa, an average peptide length (APL) of 2 to 8, a free amino acid content of 20% or less, a branched-chain amino acid content of 20% or more, and an antigenicity equal to or less than 1/100,000th of that of ?-lactoglobulin.

Abstract: A method for easily and efficiently separating a sialyllactose material from a milk material is disclosed. The method comprises removing proteins from the milk material to obtain a protein-free liquid, adjusting the pH of the protein-free liquid to obtain a pH-adjusted liquid, and concentrating the pH-adjusted liquid by an ultrafiltration (UF) membrane. Since the method also allows separation of sialyllactose from lactose and minerals, sialyllactose can be obtained with high purity, making the sialyllactose material highly useful for food, pharmaceutical, and other applications.

Abstract: A method for easily and efficiently separating a sialyllactose material from a milk material by exploiting the pH-dependent interactions between whey proteins and sialyllactose is disclosed. The method comprises concentrating a milk material at a pH of 5.2 or lower to obtain a concentrate, adjusting the pH of the concentrate to 5.5 or higher, and obtaining a low-molecular-weight fraction from the pH-adjusted concentrate. Since the method also allows separation of sialyllactose from lactose and minerals, sialyllactose may be obtained at high purity. The resulting sialyllactose material is highly useful for food, pharmaceutical, and other applications.

Abstract: A determination method quantifies a specific protein or peptide contained in a trace amount with high accuracy and in a simple manner without the need of using any expensive reagent. A protein or peptide of interest can be quantified by LC/MS/MS by using, as an internal standard, a protein or peptide including an amino acid sequence having the reshuffling the binding order of amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence for the protein or peptide of interest.

Abstract: A fat accumulation suppressor comprising as an active ingredient a whey protein hydrolysate is provided. The hydrolysate has a molecular weight range of no higher than 10 kDa and a main peak of molecular weight at 200 Da to 3 kDa; an APL (average peptide chain length) of 2 to 8; a free amino acid content of 20% or lower; a branched chain amino acid content of 20% or higher; and an antigenicity of 1/100,000 or lower relative to ?-lactoglobulin.