Abstract: The invention is directed to a nystose crystal-containing powder that has excellent fluidity suitable for handling, and shows a suppressed powder-blown-up phenomenon. The nystose crystal-containing powder has a nystose content of 83 to 89 wt %; the powder has 0.2 to 18.6 wt % of gluconic acid relative to a total weight of nystose crystals contained in the powder; and the powder has a water content of 8 to 14 wt %.

Abstract: The present invention relates to hot flash-suppressing agents and menopause-improving agents and a food and drink and a pharmaceutical preparation for suppressing hot flash, containing ?-lactalbumin as an active ingredient.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel anticariogenic agent without side effects so that anticariogenic effect can also be obtained in humans who are highly sensitive to oligosaccharides and sugar alcohols. Also, an agent for preventing periodontal disease or for treating periodontal disease which has an effect of preventing or treating periodontal disease and which does not have side effects is provided. The invention relates to an anticariogenic agent and an anticariogenic composition comprising a bifidobacterium, an agent and a composition for preventing periodontal disease comprising a bifidobacterium and an agent and a composition for treating periodontal disease comprising a bifidobacterium.

Abstract: A method using a membrane-concentration method and a freeze-concentration method includes: a membrane-concentration step in which a fluid to be treated is cooled and a membrane-concentrated fluid is prepared by membrane-concentrating the solid content concentration thereof by more than 1.5 times; an ice crystal generation step in which said membrane-concentrated fluid is cooled, ice crystals of said membrane-concentrated fluid are generated in said membrane-concentrated fluid, and a mixed fluid to be treated is formed wherein said mixed fluid to be treated is comprised of said ice crystals and a concentrated fluid to be treated produced from said membrane-concentrated fluid by generating said ice crystals in said membrane-concentrated fluid thereby said membrane-concentrated fluid is concentrated; and an ice crystal separation step in which said mixed fluid is separated into said concentrated fluid to be treated and said ice crystals, and said separated concentrated fluid to be treated is retrieved.

Abstract: [Problems] The object of the invention is to provide a process for producing fermented milk having a satisfactory level of harness and smooth texture. [Means of solving the problems] It is found that fermented milk having a satisfactory level of hardness as well as extremely smooth texture can be produced by deoxidizing (deaerating) a yogurt mix, subjecting the deoxidized (deaerated) product to an UHT processing, and then fermenting the resulting product. Specifically disclosed is a process for producing a fermented milk, which comprises a first deoxygenating step for decreasing oxygen concentration in yogurt mix; a ultra high temperature sterilization step for heating the yogurt mix after the first deoxygenating step for longer than 1 second at higher than 110 degrees Celsius so as to sterilize the yogurt mix; and a fermentation step for fermenting the yogurt mix after the ultra high temperature sterilization step.

Abstract: A swallowing simulation apparatus comprises a computer that stores swallowing simulation software that when executed results in an oral cavity model and a pseudo-food product which are analyzed in a swallowing simulation. The analysis is used to evaluate ease of eating and/or drinking.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a beverage having excellent photodegradation resistance. More particularly, the present invention relates to a photodegradation resistant beverage comprising a fat-free milk solid content and fat content, the fat content comprising not less than 70% by mass vegetable fat and oil, and the vegetable fat and oil is selected from the group consisting of coconut oil, sunflower oil and a mixture thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed is a chocolate bar containing sucrose palmitate and having a cacao mass content of 35 mass % or more, wherein (i) a sucrose palmitate content is between 0.2 mass % and 0.5 mass % inclusive, and a thickness of the chocolate bar is between 1 mm and 3 mm, inclusive, or (ii) a sucrose palmitate content is between 0.1 mass % and 0.5 mass %, inclusive, and a thickness of the chocolate bar is between 1 mm and 2 mm, inclusive.

Abstract: An impregnated food in which a solid edible material is impregnated with a liquid food having a viscosity of 10,000 to 100,000 mPa·s at 35° C. has a good taste of the liquid food, has nevertheless a not hard texture, and achieves a sense of unity between the solid edible material and the liquid food. The impregnated food can be produced by a process for producing an impregnated food, wherein in a hermetically closed system, the system is pressurized in a state where a solid edible material is made contact with a liquid food, and then, the pressure in the system is returned to the atmospheric pressure.

Abstract: The present invention is based on knowledge that basically, solid milk provided with both of adequate strength and solubility can be obtained by using only powdered milk as ingredient to be provided with compression molding under state where the porosity and the free fat is controlled within predetermined ranges, and then humidified and dried. Namely, solid milk having porosity of 30%-60%, and method of making solid milk including: a compression step for compressing powdered milk to obtain a solid form of compressed powdered milk; a humidifying step for humidifying the compressed powdered milk obtained by the compression step; and a drying step for drying the compressed powdered milk humidified by the humidifying step achieves the object of providing solid milk having preferred solubility and strength, and method of making the same.

Abstract: The present inventors conducted dedicated studies, and as a result discovered that propionic acid bacteria fermentation products have a preventive/therapeutic effect on functional gastrointestinal disorders in in vitro tests and tests using patients with irritable bowel syndrome, and completed the present invention. Specifically, the present inventors discovered, in in vitro tests, that the products have an effect of increasing the intestinal contraction frequency without changing the intestinal contractile force in a distal colon-specific manner. Moreover, effects of improving the defecation condition, general abdominal condition, and health-related QOL in patients with irritable bowel syndrome were also found. Furthermore, propionic acid bacteria fermentation products can be taken in large amounts. Therefore, the propionic acid bacteria fermentation products can be expected to have an effect of preventing/treating functional gastrointestinal disorders safely.

Abstract: Disclosed is an aerated fat-based confectionery that, unlike a conventional shell-type or tapered shape, has a novel shape, that is, a cubic or rectangular parallelepiped shape having top, bottom, and side surfaces in contact with and perpendicularly to each other, or any shape such as an animal or flower shape having a given thickness, has a light texture and a sharp melt-in-the-mouth sensation, does not require alignment in packaging. The confectionery can be obtained by aerating a fat-based confectionery mass having a fat content of 30 to 60% by weight such as chocolate to a specific gravity of 0.5 to 1.0 and cutting the aerated mass with a heated wire so that the side surface is perpendicularly to the top and bottom surfaces.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method for manufacturing baked confectionery, comprising: a step of adding water and polyglycerol polyricinoleate to an fat-based confectionery dough; a step of molding the resulting fat-based confectionery dough into a predetermined shape; and a step of baking the molded product. According to this manufacturing method, handleability and workability during molding of the fat-based confectionery dough can be ensured, while improving the shape retention during baking of the fat-based confectionery.

Abstract: The present invention is based on knowledge that basically, solid milk provided with both of adequate strength and solubility can be obtained by using only powdered milk as ingredient to be provided with compression molding under state where the porosity and the free fat is controlled within predetermined ranges, and then humidified and dried. Namely, solid milk having porosity of 30%-60%, and method of making solid milk including: a compression step for compressing powdered milk to obtain a solid form of compressed powdered milk; a humidifying step for humidifying the compressed powdered milk obtained by the compression step; and a drying step for drying the compressed powdered milk humidified by the humidifying step achieves the object of providing solid milk having preferred solubility and strength, and method of making the same.

Abstract: A packaged product which comprises a solid object and a packaging that seals and holds the solid object, wherein a replacement gas is contained in a space sealed by the packaging when the packaging is sealed and wherein the solid object has absorbed a part of or all of the replacement gas.

Abstract: To propose an oral cavity sensor capable of analyzing tongue movements in more detail than before. In an oral cavity sensor (1) which is even provided with a sensor element (7) having a mechanical configuration capable of measuring each of external force components in three axis directions, the sensor element (7) can be protected by an elastic body (9), and the whole of the elastic body (9) is covered with the coating film (11a) made of a biocompatible material. Thereby, the sensor element (7) and the elastic body (9) can be safely attached in an oral cavity (MT) of a subject (EXA), and can measure each of the external force components in the three axis directions. As a result, on the basis of the external force components in the three axis directions, complicated tongue movements at the time of mastication or swallowing in the oral cavity (MT) can be analyzed in more detail than before.

Abstract: Herein is disclosed a comprehensive mixer performance estimation method that can be applied to the mixers of the rotor-stator type having various configurations and circulation systems. Specifically, the performance estimation method for the mixers of the rotor-stator type includes the steps of: obtaining the homogenization index: H.I. for each of the mixers, measuring the size of each of the mixers, the powder requirements and flow rates during the running time of each of the mixers, estimating the magnitude (smallness or greatness) of the configuration dependent term value of each of the mixer as whole which is specific to each of the mixers, and estimating the performance of each of the mixers accordingly.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing fructooligosaccharide, wherein, in a reaction where fructooligosaccharide is produced by reacting ?-fructofuranosidase with sucrose, and in a reaction step where glucose by-produced by the above reaction is decreased by glucose oxidase, an amount of dissolved oxygen is adjusted to 2 to 8 ppm. This method enables fructooligosaccharides to be produced inexpensively and efficiently.

Abstract: First, prepared is a whey degradation medium to which a protease, yeast extract, and the like are added. Further, polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate or propylene glycol monooleate is added to the whey degradation medium. The whey degradation medium is inoculated with bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacterium and the lactic acid bacterium is cultured while the whey degradation medium is maintained at pH of 4 to 5. After the completion of the culture, the whey degradation medium (culture solution) is centrifuged to thereby separate therefrom a concentrated cell suspension containing the lactic acid bacterium in a concentrated form. The concentrated cell suspension has very low antibacterial activity (several tens AU or less). Then, by adding the concentrated cell suspension to a yogurt mix and fermenting the same, it is possible to produce yogurt containing the bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacterium without any delay in the fermentation.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the problem of providing an antibody titer-increasing agent, such as an adjuvant, capable of sustaining an effect achieved by, for example, vaccination, which is an antibody titer-increasing agent such as an adjuvant that is safe, convenient and economical and can be easily taken irrespective of age, and a method for manufacturing the same. A method for increasing an antibody titer and a method for enhancing the effect of a vaccine, each method comprising using Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus OLL1073R-1 or a culture thereof; and an antibody titer-increasing agent such as an adjuvant that comprises Lactobacillus delbrueckii subspecies bulgaricus OLL1073R-1 or a culture thereof.