Abstract: A mixer of the rotor-stator type that includes a stator having a plurality of openings and a rotor disposed on the inner side of the stator and spaced by a predetermined gap away from the stator is described, wherein the mixer that is capable of improving the shearing stress applied upon the liquid being processed and provides the higher performance is proposed. The stator includes a plurality of stators each having a different circumferential diameter, and the rotor is disposed on the inner side of the plurality of stators and spaced by the predetermined gap away from the stators so that the stators and the rotor can be brought closer to or farther away from each other in the direction in which the rotary shaft of the rotor extends.

Abstract: A method for stabilizing DHNA or vitamins contained in food and beverage products in an environment with potential for exposure to natural light or artificial light, for example, in a transparent container, without having to use a container or a packaging material having a high light-shielding property, by blocking only ultraviolet rays.

Abstract: A probiotic lactobacillus was discovered from lactobacilli of the Lactobacillus genus independently isolated from human adult feces.

Abstract: A baked fat-based confectionery containing a sorbitan fatty acid ester, preferably a sorbitan fatty acid ester with an HLB of 1 to 5. Also disclosed is a method for manufacturing a baked fat-based confectionery, including a step of preparing a fat-based confectionery material containing a sorbitan fatty acid ester, a step of forming the fat-based confectionery material into a prescribed shape to obtain a fat-based confectionery, and a step of baking the fat-based confectionery.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a composition containing 2-acyl-lysophosphatidylserine, including (a) a step of obtaining a composition containing phosphatidylserine by allowing phospholipase D to act on a raw material containing phosphatidylcholine in the presence of serine and (b) a step of obtaining a composition containing 2-acyl-lysophosphatidylserine by allowing phospholipase A1 to act on the composition containing phosphatidylserine in the presence of one or more additives selected from the group consisting of the following (I), (II), and (III), in which (I) one or more salts selected from the group consisting of sulfate salts, phosphate salts, nitrate salts, citrate salts, and tartarate salts of monovalent cations, (II) a gum, and (III) an emulsifier.

Abstract: The present invention provides lactic acid bacteria having oxalic acid-degrading activity several times higher than those of conventionally known lactic acid bacteria having an oxalic acid-degrading activity, and uses thereof. Lactic acid bacteria capable of degrading a large amount of oxalic acid were screened from 132 strains of Lactobacillus lactic acid bacteria that have been independently isolated from feces and gastric juices of human adults. As a result, lactic acid bacteria having an oxalic acid degradation rate of 50% or more when cultured at 37° C. for 72 hours in a culture medium containing 10 mM oxalic acid at pH 6.5 at the start of culture were discovered.

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 power 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 a whole which is specific to each of the mixers, and estimating the performance of each of the mixers accordingly.

Abstract: A comprehensive mixer performance estimation method that can be applied to each of the mixers of the rotor-stator type having the various configurations and circulation modes is provided. In accordance with the mixer performance estimation method of the present invention, the total energy dissipation rate ?a for the mixers of the rotor-stator type may be obtained, the respective sizes of the rotor-stator and the powers and flow rates during the mixer's running time may be measured, the magnitude of the values for the configuration dependent term for the entire mixer that are specific to each of the mixers and are obtained by measuring the size of the rotor-stator and the powers and flow rates during the mixer's running time may be estimated, and the mixer's performance may be estimated.

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 power 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 a whole which is specific to each of the mixers, and estimating the performance of each of mixers accordingly.

Abstract: A method is directed to producing liquid fermented milk, suppressing an increase in acidity and a decrease in pH over time during refrigerated storage, keeping a refreshing flavor (sour taste) originating from yogurt lactic acid bacteria for a long time, and suppressing production of an acid during storage to maintain good quality, without requiring heating after a fermentation step, use of a particular additive, and the like. The method for producing liquid fermented milk which uses a rod-shaped lactic acid bacteria and a coccus-shaped lactic acid bacteria as lactic acid bacteria to be added to a raw material for fermented milk, and which includes a homogenization step of obtaining the liquid fermented milk at a homogenization pressure of from 50 MPa to 100 MPa.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a fermented milk, in which fermentation is accelerated without using a fermentation accelerator or the like and a novel fermented milk obtained by the production method having a hard texture that does not collapse during the distribution stage while having thickness and mildness which are not exhibited by conventional products.

Abstract: The objects of the present invention are to provide a novel nystose crystal-containing powder which has fluidity suitable for handling and shows a suppressed powder-blown-up phenomenon, and to provide a method for producing the same. According to the present invention, a nystose crystal-containing powder is provided, wherein: (a) the powder has a nystose content of 71 to 90 wt %; (b) the powder contains 0.2 to 18.6 wt % gluconic acid relative to a total weight of nystose crystals contained in the powder; and (c) the powder has a water content of 7-14 wt %.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a probiotic(s) which can activate an aromatic hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and can consequently prevent inflammatory damage in the digestive tract. The present invention relates to; a probiotic(s) capable of activating an AhR; an anti-inflammatory agent comprising the probiotic(s); an orally ingestible composition containing the anti-inflammatory agent; and a method for screening for the probiotic(s).

Abstract: The invention provides a composition that enhances the proliferation activity of propionic acid bacteria in the rumen of ruminants to allow the propionic acid bacteria to sufficiently exhibit their metabolic function in the rumen for the prevention and treatment of rumen acidosis in ruminants. The invention also provides use of the composition. Viable propionic acid bacteria and a lactic acid bacteria culture are orally administered to a ruminant to dramatically (rapidly) promote the proliferation of the propionic acid bacteria in the ruminant rumen, and to thereby increase the volatile fatty acid concentration in the rumen for the prevention and/or treatment of rumen acidosis in the ruminant.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a food product that exhibits excellent solubility, such as solid milk. [Means] The above purpose is achieved by a food product having a top surface (4) including a flat area (2); a bottom surface (8) including a flat area (6) parallel to the flat area (2) on the top surface; and a recess (10) formed on the top surface (4) and a recess (12) formed on the bottom surface (8), wherein when the food product has both the recess (10) formed on the top surface (4) and the recess (12) formed on the bottom surface (8), the total of the largest depth du (14) of the recess (10) on the top surface and the largest depth dd (16) of the recess (12) on the bottom surface is 30% or larger of the thickness w (18) of the food product.

Abstract: Provided is a highly precise system for controlling proportional mixing, wherein the proportional mixing system is capable of maintaining the mixture ratio of flow rates of a primary liquid and a secondary liquid at a predetermined target mixture ratio. This highly precise proportional mixing system maintains the mixture ratio of flow rates of a primary liquid and a secondary liquid to be constant while recognizing an error integrated retroactively using the integrated flow rates of the primary liquid and a secondary liquid. This highly precise proportional mixing system also estimates future integrated error from past error trends to control the instantaneous flow rate of the primary liquid and and/or secondary liquid.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a sterilization method for heat-resistant bacterial spores, with which an effective sterilization effect is attained under heating conditions milder than conventional conditions, and which hardly affects the quality of an object to be sterilized. The sterilization method includes performing a first heat treatment step having the main object of damaging spores and then performing a second heat treatment step having the main object of inactivating the damaged spores and being performed at a temperature lower than that of the first heat treatment step.

Abstract: Described herein is a baked confectionery which is produced by baking a fat-based confectionery comprising a nut, wherein the baked confectionery preferably comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of isomaltulose, mannitol, and maltitol. Also, described herein is a method for producing a baked confectionery, comprising preparing a fat-based confectionery comprising nuts and preferably also comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of isomaltulose, mannitol, and maltitol, and baking the fat-based confectionery.

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: The present invention provides a white chocolate-impregnated food that is a porous food into which a white chocolate that contains a plant powder is impregnated. A median diameter of the plant powder is 5 to 20 ?m. In the white chocolate-impregnated food, the white chocolate that contains the plant powder is impregnated into inside of the porous food.