Abstract: A recombinant strain of L. johnsonii which has capacities of surviving passage through the intestine, adhering to human intestinal cells and increasing phagocytosis of macrophages and which has a gene sequence code for D-lactate dehydrogenase which is a modified L. johnsonii gene sequence code and which produces only L(+)-lactate.

Abstract: A peristaltic pump for propelling liquid through a flexible tube segment. The pump has a cam shaft which carries a plurality of cams each having a driving surface. The driving surfaces of adjacent cams are spaced at an angle to each other about the cam shaft. The pump also has a plurality of cam followers which are each reciprocal in a common direction perpendicular to the axis of the cam shaft. Each cam follower has a cam surface riding on the driving surface of a cam and a tube engaging surface for engaging the flexible tube segment. At least one of the cam followers is a restriction cam follower of which the tube engaging surface engages the flexible tube segment for a longer period than that of the other cam followers. The pump also has a motor for rotating the cam shaft whereby the cams cause the cam followers to each engage and occlude the flexible tube segment to form a propagating depression wave in the flexible tube segment for propelling liquid.

Abstract: A process for the production of a molded aerated frozen bar by preparing a mix of ingredients suitable for a frozen aerated bar, whipping the mix to obtain an aerated mix having an overrun of from between about 20% to about 250%, molding the aerated mix to give a molded aerated mix and freezing the molded aerated mix to produce the molded frozen aerated bar.

Abstract: An antioxidant system for beverages, particularly coffee beverages. The antioxidant system is made up of glucose oxidase, a glucose oxidase substrate and an inorganic oxygen scavenger. The beverages have improved aroma and flavor.

Abstract: The present invention has for an object a koji mold which expresses at least 2 times more endo- and exo-peptidases than the wild type strain of Aspergillus oryzae CNCM I-1882, and especially at least 30 mU of endopeptidase activity, at least 30 mU of leucine-amino-peptidase and at least 10 mU of prolyldipeptidyl-peptidase activity per ml of supernatant when grown in a minimal medium containing 0.2% soy bean proteins. The invention also provides a DNA-binding protein of Aspergillus oryzae (AREA) having at least the amino-acid sequence from amino-acid 1 to amino-acid 731 of SEQ ID NO:2 or functional derivatives thereof. The invention also provides a DNA molecule that comprises an areA gene encoding the DNA-binding protein according to the invention.

Abstract: A food composition, particularly for pets, is prepared by adding and mixing cereal, vegetable protein extract, animal meal, vegetable by-products and lipid ingredients together and extrusion-cooking the mixture and then discharging the extrusion-cooked mixture via a die to obtain a plurality of extrudate bands and to form the bands into a lamellar structure product having a plurality of band layers, after which the lamellar structure is cut into pieces so that the pieces have a band layer lamellar structure and then, the pieces are dried. The ingredients are employed and the process is carried out so that the dried product has a protein content of between 14% and 35%, a lipid content of between 2% and 20%, a carbohydrate content of at least 25%, a moisture content of between 2% and 15% and a density of between 0.3 and 0.6 g/cc. The die has a die plate and a cone for forming the bands and layered structure.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process which includes the steps of forming a mixture by submerging a vegetative food product in an amount of water sufficient to cover the food product; degassing the mixture for a time and amount of pressure sufficient to remove gases from tissues of the vegetative food product and fill intercellular spaces of tissues with water; flushing the degassed mixture with an inert gas for a time sufficient to reestablish a pressure that is substantially atmospheric; draining water from the mixture to obtain the vegetative food product; and freezing the resultant vegetative food product for storage until use, wherein discoloration of the vegetative food product is decreased compared to vegetative food products that are not treated by this process. This process minimizes the availability of oxygen in tissue of the vegetative food product while protecting the color and texture of the product by avoiding mechanical or thermal stresses on the product.

Abstract: A coated packaging material for packaging foodstuffs is prepared with a component mixture of egg white powder, a plasticizer, an emulsifier and water which, by coating mixture weight, are in amounts, respectively, of from about 25% to 30%, 10% to 15%, 2% to 5% and 50% to 63%, the mixture being applied on a packaging material to coat the material and then being heated to coagulate and dry the coating. Upon drying, the coating is made up of from about 60% to 70% heat-coagulated egg white, 25% to 30% plasticizer, 5% to 10% emulsifier and 3% to 8% water. The coated packaging material is employed for packaging a foodstuff so that the coating is positioned between the foodstuff and packaging material.

Abstract: An ice confection comprising an ice confection core, a fat-based outer coating layer and an edible emulsifier as a precoating layer between the ice confection core and the edible fat-based outer coating layer, wherein the edible emulsifier includes both hydrophilic and lipophilic moieties.

Abstract: A powdered substance, which is suitable for preparation of a beverage with an extraction fluid, is extracted for preparation of a beverage. The substance which is compacted in a form of a cake, is contained within a sachet between two sachet sheets which, prior to extraction of the substance, protect the substance against oxygen and water vapor and which extend to sealed edges for containing the substance within the sheets prior to and during extraction. In effecting extraction, one sheet is perforated to provide at least one opening for injection of extraction fluid, and extraction fluid is injected under pressure into the sachet for contacting and deforming the compacted substance cake and for extracting the substance in the sachet, and the other sheet is deformed against a surface having portions forming, upon deformation of the second sheet, local breakages in that sheet for opening that sheet for flow of extracted beverage substance.

Abstract: Bread products are prepared by treating a starch material in water with a carbohydrase so that the carbohydrase liquefies the starch material and so that starch of the starch material is gelatinized, combining the product of the treatment with water, a starch material, a vegetable oil and lecithin so that an emulsion is obtained, heating the emulsion to gelatinize starch material and to stabilize the emulsion, drying the emulsion to obtain a powder and combining the powder with wheat flour, sugar, raising agent and water ingredients to obtain a dough, and thereafter, the dough may be stored at a temperature of from -40.degree. C. to +10.degree. C., or the dough may be baked and the baked product also may be stored at a temperature of from -40.degree. C. to +10.degree. C.

Abstract: A food package having a built-in aroma. The package includes a food compartment and an aromatized substrate comprising a heat sensitive sealant which captures the aroma. The aromatized substrate is effective to preserve the aroma during freezing, refrigeration, and ambient storage, and is capable of releasing the aroma when the package with the food in the food compartment is heated in a microwave oven.

Abstract: A method of preparing a fortified foodstuff containing a fortifying amount of a complex of calcium and a hydrolyzed polysaccharide, combined with an acid, such as an organic acid. The foodstuff may be a dairy-based product such as milk or a milk product, a confectionery product, ice cream or a beverage such as a juice.

Abstract: A concentrated milk-base composition which includes stabilizing salt, sugar and flavoring agent components is prepared for flavoring a beverage, particularly for flavoring a coffee or tea beverage. The composition is prepared by mixing and homogenizing a milk fat with skimmed milk to obtain a milk base, subjecting the milk base to evaporation to obtain a concentrated milk base, homogenizing the concentrated milk base, cooling the homogenized milk base, adding a stabilizing salt and sucrose in dry form, and in one embodiment, a flavorant agent is added also to the cooled milk base and then the composition is heated to sterilize it, the sterilized composition is homogenized and then is filled in a package, and in another embodiment, a flavorant composition is added aseptically to the sterilized composition before homogenizing.

Abstract: A method for reducing the fat content in a fat-based confectionery coating material having a sufficient viscosity, when liquified, to permit the application and retention of the coating material upon an underlying confectionery substrate. The method comprises replacing at least a portion of at least one fat-containing component of the coating material with an amount of a liquid medium chain triglyceride sufficient to maintain the viscosity of the coating material.

Abstract: A crystalline pumpable confection mass for obtaining a chewy confectionery product is provided by preparing a sugar-containing liquid medium, concentrating the medium, cooling the concentrated medium to a temperature below its sugar saturation point and kneading to induce sugar crystal nucleation, and then, the medium in which sugar crystallization was induced is heated to obtain a product which is pumpable and so that sugar crystal nucleates are retained in the heated product. To obtain a solidified product, the heated product is cooled, and additionally, the cooling and kneading and heating may be carried out in an extruder.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new isolated polysaccharide originating from Streptococcus thermophilus comprising the following repeat structure, and which may be use for the preparation of a food, cosmetic or pharmaceutical composition intended for inhibiting .beta.-galactoside specific lectins.