Abstract: Disclosed are an assimilation accelerator which contains &bgr;-glucooligosaccharide as an active ingredient, a calcium-supplementing diet which contains &bgr;-glucooligosaccharide and a calcium material, and a method for accelerating calcium assimilation using the calcium assimilation accelerator.

Abstract: At least one enzyme selected from .alpha.-amylase of various types, an oligosaccharide-forming amylase, .beta.-amylase and a debranching enzyme and an enzyme capable of forming nigerooligosaccharide by transglycosylation and/or condensation reaction are allowed to successively or simultaneously act on a material comprised of at least one selected from i) starch, ii) a maltooligosaccharide with a degree of polymerization not lower than maltose and iii) a dextrin, to form nigerooligosaccharide, which is thereafter optionally reduced to obtain a starch sugar composition containing the nigerooligosaccharide or a reduction product thereof. This starch sugar composition may be added to food and drink as at least part of its sweeteners, whereby various advantages can be provided, e.g., not only a sweetness can be imparted, but also the quality of sweetness can be improved, and the moisture retention of foods can be improved.

Abstract: Disclosed are a novel microorganism (FERM BP-5144) belonging to the genus Plesiomonas and having ability to produce maltose phosphorylase and trehalose phosphorylase required for the enzymatic production of trehalose and novel maltose phosphorylase and trehalose phosphorylase obtainable from the microorganism as well as a process for producing the enzymes. A novel process for enzymatically producing trehalose (O-.alpha.-D-glucopyranosyl-(1.fwdarw.1)-D-glucopyranoside) is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are a novel microorganism (FERM BP-5144) belonging to the genus Plesiomonas and having ability to produce maltose phosphorylase and trehalose phosphorylase required for the enzymatic production of trehalose and novel maltose phosphorylase and trehalose phosphorylase obtainable from the microorganism as well as a process for producing the enzymes. A novel process for enzymatically producing trehalose (O-.alpha.-D-glucopyranosyl-(1.fwdarw.1)-D-glucopyranoside) is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are a novel microorganism (FERM BP-5144) belonging to the genus Plesiomonas and having ability to produce maltose phosphorylase and trehalose phosphorylase required for the enzymatic production of trehalose and novel maltose phosphorylase and trehalose phosphorylase obtainable from the microorganism as well as a process for producing the enzymes. A novel process for enzymatically producing trehalose (O-.alpha.-D-glucopyranosyl-(1.fwdarw.1)-D-glucopyranoside) is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is biodegradable compositions comprising a biodegradable resin and starch, wherein fat or oil treated starch or its gelatinized product is utilized as the starch and thereby its production cost and biodegradability is improved without losing its mechanical properties. Biodegradable compositions comprising a gelatinized product of fat or oil treated starch and a biodegradable resin. A process for the production of the biodegradable composition comprising a gelatinized fat or oil treated starch and a biodegradable resin described above, which comprises heating and kneading fat or oil treated starch and a biodegradable resin in the presence of water or water and a plasticizer.

Abstract: A water-soluble dietary fiber comprising as a main component a partially hydrolyzed product of a hemicellulose extracted from a vegetable fiber material by an alkali treatment and subjected to enzymolysis. Various kinds of food and drink can be prepared by mixture of this dietary fiber. Also disclosed is a method of preparing a water-soluble dietary fiber, comprising the steps of subjecting a vegetable fiber material to extraction by an alkali treatment, and treating an extract therefrom with a xylanase to give a partially hydrolyzed product of hemicellulose.

Abstract: A method for recovering cyclodextrin, comprising passing an aqueous solution containing an inclusion compound of cyclodextrin with a guest compound, through a non-polar, high-porous hydrophobic adsorption resin, which is the cross-linked copolymer of styrene with divinylbenzene, comprised of styrene as a basic skeleton, to cause the adsorption resin to preferentially adsorb the guest compound for its removal. The method enables economical recovery of cyclodextrin in a good efficiency and at a high purity from inclusion compounds of cyclodextrin with guest compounds such as cholesterol and other lipids.

Abstract: A host vector system comprising Rhizopus species such as Rhizopus niveus (IFO4810) and a plasmid derived from Phycomycetes such as Mucor, Phycomyces and Absidia wherein the plasmid is contained in a chromosome and/or cytoplasm of the Rhizopus species. The host vector system is suitable for the extracellular production of proteins and enzymes. A process for preparing the host vector system is also provided.

Abstract: A xylose isomerase gene from Thermus bacteria, such as Thermos aquaticus (ATCC 27634) and a gene having 60% or more of homology to the nucleotide sequence of Thermus aquaticus xylose isomerase gene of FIG. 1-3. A xylose isomerase from Thermus aquaticus characterized in that the xylose isomerase has the optimal pH of about 7, the stable pH range of from about 6 to 8.5, the optimal temperature of about 95.degree. C. and the molecular weight of about 44,000, and is stabilized with manganese or magnesium. A process for preparing a xylose isomerase comprising transforming a microorganism with a plasmid containing the above gene and a promoter, culturing the transformed microorganism and harvesting the produced xylose isomerase. A process for preparing fructose comprising isomerization of glucose to fructose in the presence of the above xylose isomerase.

Abstract: Galactosyl maltooligosaccharide derivatives represented by formula (1): ##STR1## wherein at least one of X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 represents a galactosyl group and the other represents a hydrogen atom, R represents a hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, and n is an integer of from 2 to 5. The derivatives are prepared by reacting a sugar with a galactosyl group with a maltooligosaccharide represented by formula (2): ##STR2## R represents a hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, and n is an integer of from 2 to 5; in the presence of .alpha.-galactosidase or .beta.-galactosidase. The derivatives are used for measurement of .alpha.-amylase activity.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for production on an industrial scale of the branched fructooligosaccharide indicated by the general structural formula below using microorganisms or an enzyme produced by microorganisms which belong to the genus Aspergillus, ##STR1## wherein in the formula above, m=0-10, n=0-8 and m+n=3-10.

Abstract: A .beta.-glucooligosaccharide-containing composition comprising at least one material selected from food, drink and medicine, and at least one selected from a glucooligosaccharide comprising at least one .beta.-1,6 bond and a reduced product thereof. A method of improving intestinal floras, comprising administering to a human or animal for ingestion a physiologically effective amount of at least one selected from a glucooligosaccharide comprising at least one .beta.-1,6 bond and a reduced product thereof. The ingestion of the .beta.-glucooligosaccharide and/or the reduced product thereof can bring about promotion of the selective growth of useful bacteria such as Bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria, inhibition of the growth of harmful bacteria or putrefactive bacteria, and hence improvement in the intestinal floras.

Abstract: Highly purified derivatives of maltooligosaccharides can be produced at a high yield by reacting, in a mixture of a hydrophilic organic solvent and water, a mixture of maltooligosaccharides or a substance capable of being converted into the maltooligosaccharides upon reaction with an amylase, and an o-glucosyl derivative, with the amylase.The resulting derivatives of maltooligosaccharides are useful as a substrate for the determination of .alpha.-amylase activity in a humor, physiologically active substances, natural dieteic sweetenings, coloring agents and the like.

Abstract: The desmutagenic substances consist of a fibrous constituent of food which was produced from corn fibers. These substances have a function of inactivating mutagens which occur in our daily life environment, for example, dinitropyrene, pyrolysate mutagens of food or the like. The process for producing these substances comprises the step of subjecting corn fibers to a treatment process to remove starch, protein and other digestable substances therefrom, the treatment process being an enzyme treatment, chemical treatment or physical treatment or a combination thereof.

Abstract: Process for producing starch sugar which comprises contacting liquefied starch with amylase immobilized onto porous chitosan. Immobilized debranching enzyme can be used in combination with the amylase. The debranching enzyme is immobilized onto a specific support.

Abstract: A method for inhibiting oxidation, comprising adding a defatted corn germ to an unsaturated fat or oil, an unsaturated fatty acid, an unsaturated hydrocarbon, or food and drink containing any of these and the product of said process.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing .gamma.-cyclodextrin without using any organic solvents i.e. by non-solvent process and more particularly, to processes for producing .gamma.-cyclodextrin, which comprise: (1) passing a sugar solution containing cyclodextrins and reducing sugars as primary ingredients through a column packed with alkali or alkali earth metal salts of strongly acidic cation exchange resin to separate cyclodextrins fraction from reducing sugars fraction and then, passing the cyclodextrins fraction through a column packed with gel resin particles to separate and collect .gamma.-cyclodextrin and, (2) bringing the sugar solution into contact with a hydrophobic, synthetic adsorption resin comprising a porous polymer to adsorb only .gamma.-cyclodextrin or .gamma.- and .beta.-cyclodextrins and then, eluting the adsorbed cyclodextrin(s) with water to separate and collect .gamma.-cyclodextrin.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing cyclodextrins, which comprises passing a solution containing cyclodextrins and reducing sugars as primary ingredients through a column packed with alkali or alkali earth metal salts of strongly acidic cation exchange resin to separate and collect cyclodextrins from the sugar solution.