Abstract: The invention aims to provide a process for producing a fermented milk capable of effectively preventing deterioration of the smooth mouth feel and milk flavor originated from the milk fat (hereinafter, the smooth mouth feel and milk flavor are put together referred to as “milk-fat characteristic”) which are lost when the milk fat content of fermented milk is intentionally reduced, without using milk fat substitutes, milk-flavor providing agents or the like but based on an ingenuity on the production process, and the fermented milk obtained as the result in which the milk-fat characteristic is improved and the milk fat content is reduced. The invention relates to a process for producing fermented milk in which a milk fat content is from 0.1% by weight to 2.0% by weight, said process comprising: reducing a dissolved oxygen concentration in a fermented milk mix to 5 ppm or less at the time of the start of fermentation; and carrying out the fermentation at a fermentation temperature of from 30? C. to 39? C.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide solid milk having suitable solubility and strength and a method for manufacturing such solid milk. The present invention is based on the knowledge that solid milk combining sufficient strength with sufficient solubility can be obtained basically by compacting and molding only powdered milk as an ingredient under a condition where porosity and free fat content thereof are controlled within fixed ranges and then humidifying and drying. The above-described object can be attained with solid milk with a porosity of 30% to 50% and a method for manufacturing solid milk, comprising a compacting process for compacting powdered milk and obtaining a solid compacted body of powdered milk, a humidifying process for wetting the compacted body of powdered milk obtained in the compacting process, and a drying process for drying the compacted body of powdered milk humidified in the humidification process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a coated confection in which the wear resistance and shape retention property in high temperature of the center thereof are improved by coating a sufficient amount of shellac on a center with a complex shape. More particularly, the present invention relates to a coated confection composed of a center composed of an oil-based confection and shellac coating the center, wherein a coating rate of shellac is 0.1 to 10%.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a food product for enhancing chewing ability having hardness, viscosity and so on suitable for the mouth of a small child from the age of one year to five years and eleven months, in particular a young child in the age of approximately one and one-half years who can utilize teeth for chewing after weaning. The food product for enhancing chewing ability of the present invention contains at least one type of main raw material selected from the flour group consisting of wheat flour, rice flour and starchy flour, and at least one type of secondary raw material selected from the group consisting of sorbitol and glycerol. This food product for enhancing chewing ability preferably has a breaking stress, breaking strain, brittleness stress and cohesiveness within predetermined ranges.

Abstract: The present inventors discovered that the onset of galactosamine hepatopathy is suppressed by nutritional compositions comprising as essential ingredients: whey protein hydrolysates; lecithin and oils and fats high in oleic acid, which are able to improve the lipid metabolism; and palatinose having an insulin-sparing effect. Furthermore, the whey protein hydrolysate included in the nutritional compositions was found to suppress endotoxin-induced TNF-a and interleukin 6 (IL-6) production in macrophages.

Abstract: A rotor/stator type mixer implements the particle size breakup apparatus and includes a stator having a plurality of openings formed thereon and a rotor disposed on the inside of the stator and spaced away from the stator with a specific gap. The rotor, which is disposed inwardly of the stator having the plurality of openings formed thereon so that it can be spaced away from the stator with the specific gap, has a rotor peripheral wall that faces opposite the inside of the stator peripheral wall and is disposed inwardly radially of the peripheral wall of the stator having the plurality of openings formed thereon so that it can be spaced away from the stator with the specific gap. In addition, the rotor has a plurality of openings formed thereon.

Abstract: A process for producing 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, comprising initiating the culture of 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid producing bacteria belonging to propionic acid bacteria under anaerobic conditions and culturing the bacteria under aeration into a medium when the concentration of a carbon source in the medium is 3.5% by mass or less.

Abstract: Natural cheese which comprises a lactic acid bacterium belonging to Lactobacillus gasseri having a disinfection potency against Helicobacter pylori, and a method for producing the natural cheese.

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 provides an impregnation type puffed food in which an oil and fat confectionery material is impregnated into a food material to be impregnated, wherein the food material to be impregnated is a puffed confectionery having a surface thereof coated with a saccharide layer. Such an impregnation type puffed food has a novel texture, which is a “crunchy” hard texture combined with a texture of an oil and fat confectionery melting out of the inside.

Abstract: Black currant anthocyanin-containing compositions for foods comprising 1 to 25% by weight of black currant anthocyanin on the basis of solid matters; a process for producing a black currant anthocyanin-containing composition for foods characterized by purifying and concentrating black currant juice employed as a starting material by using a charged reverse osmosis membrane; functional foods and drinks characterized by containing the above compositions for foods; and the above-described compositions for foods and the above-described functional foods and drinks having an effect of improving visual function, a function of improving blood fluidity, and/or a function of lowering blood pressure. The conventional black currant anthocyanin compositions have a low black currant anthocyanin content, strong acidity and poor stability, which makes them unsuitable as additives for foods and drinks.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing fermented milk, including adding to a milk mix a starter in an amount of from 0.2 to 0.

Abstract: To develop an easy-to-eat or an easy-to-drink food product by analyzing a swallowing phenomenon.

Abstract: To provide a swallowing simulation apparatus that facilitates approximate reproduction of an actual phenomenon of swallowing.

Abstract: A method for culturing lactic acid bacteria includes (a) adding a proteolytic enzyme to an aqueous whey solution containing whey and water to thereby prepare a culture solution containing whey degraded by the proteolytic enzyme; (b) inoculating the culture solution with Lactobacillus gasseri which is a bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria; and (c) maintaining the culture solution inoculated with the bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria at a pH of not lower than 5.2 and not higher than 5.8 to provide cultured lactic acid bacteria. After the completion of culturing, the culture solution is centrifuged to separate a concentrated cell suspension containing the lactic acid bacterium in a concentrated form. The concentrated cell suspension has extremely high antibacterial activity, several tens of thousands AU, and is usable as a food preservative. Yogurt is produced by fermenting a yogurt mix to which 0.01% to 0.1% by weight of the concentrated cell suspension is added.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composite fat-based confectionery comprising a porous food material impregnated with a fat-based confectionery material containing a nonfat milk solids and having a moisture content of 1% by weight or more, wherein the fat-based confectionery material contains at least one sucrose fatty acid ester selected from the group consisting of a sucrose erucic acid ester and a sucrose stearic acid ester having an HLB value of 9 to 11. Such a composite fat-based confectionery has the porous food material sufficiently impregnated with the fat-based confectionery material.

Abstract: Provided is a coffee beverage which achieves a good balance between sweet, bitter, and unpleasant tastes at both liquid temperatures of 10° C. or less, which is a liquid-temperature of the beverage while refrigerated, and around ordinary temperature (for example, 20 to 30° C.), which is an assumed liquid temperature of the beverage when it is drunk. The coffee beverage comprises fructose, maltose, and a cacao extract. Fructose is contained in a form of, for example, glucose-fructose syrup. Maltose is contained in a form of, for example, maltose syrup. The content of glucose-fructose syrup and the content of maltose syrup in the coffee beverage are each preferably 1 to 10% by weight. The weight ratio between glucose-fructose syrup and maltose syrup is preferably 3:1 to 1:3. The content of the cacao extract in the coffee beverage is preferably 0.01 to 0.1% by weight. The coffee beverage can further comprise sugar.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to improve the flavor of a fermented milk by employing a lactose degradation step and, further, adding a whey powder to a starting material to thereby control the balance between the sweetness and sourness of the fermented milk. A method for producing a fermented milk, said method comprising a step for adding a whey powder to a starting milk and a step for degrading lactose in the starting milk by a lactase. By use of the production method according to the present invention, a fermented milk, which can be appropriately taken without using a sweetener such as sucrose and has a novel flavor, can be obtained.

Abstract: [Objects] An object of the present invention is to provide an orally administrable agent for medical use for animals for preventing or treating coccidiosis which is highly safe with no side effects, an agent for a food or a drink for use in the preservation of health, a feed additive, and a feed comprising the same. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for rearing animals (particularly, livestock and poultry) using the same and a method for controlling coccidiosis using the same. [Means for Resolution] By using a fermentation product of a lactic acid bacterium and/or a whey fermentation product of a propionic acid bacterium as an active ingredient, an agent for preventing or treating coccidiosis, an agent for use in the preservation of health, and a feed additive can be provided.

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.