Abstract: The invention provides functional food and beverage that produce, through oral intake, a promotive effect on normal epidermal keratinization, and an epidermal differentiation and keratinization promoter for use in such functional food and beverage. The epidermal differentiation and keratinization promoter of the present invention contains, as an active component, fermented milk whey obtained by fermentation of milk with bacteria including lactic acid bacteria, such as Latobacillus helveticus. The functional food and beverage for promoting epidermal keratinization of the present invention contains the epidermal differentiation and keratinization promoter.

Abstract: The invention provides functional food and beverage that produce, through oral intake, a promotive effect on normal epidermal keratinization, and an epidermal differentiation and keratinization promoter for use in such functional food and beverage. The epidermal differentiation and keratinization promoter of the present invention contains, as an active component, fermented milk whey obtained by fermentation of milk with bacteria including lactic acid bacteria, such as Latobacillus helveticus. The functional food and beverage for promoting epidermal keratinization of the present invention contains the epidermal differentiation and keratinization promoter.

Abstract: The present invention provides functional food and beverage that produce a skin moisturizing effect through oral intake, that is excellently safe, and that may be taken regularly. The invention also provides a skin moisturizer for oral intake to be used in the functional food and beverage, as well as use thereof. The present skin moisturizer for oral intake contains as an active component fermented milk whey obtained by fermentation of milk with Lactobacillus helveticus, and the present functional food and beverage contains the skin moisturizer and has a skin moisturizing effect.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing an estrogen-like active intermediate (e.g., secoisolariciresinol) by culturing a lignan (e.g., a lignan derived from Eucommia ulmoides) together with a bacterium Lactobacillus acidophilus. Also disclosed a prophylactic/ameliorating agent for menopausal disorder and a functional beverage/food for preventing/ameliorating menopausal disorder comprising a lignan cultured together with a bacterium Lactobacillus acidophilus as an active ingredient.

Abstract: The present invention provides functional food and beverage that produce a skin moisturizing effect through oral intake, that is excellently safe, and that may be taken regularly. The invention also provides a skin moisturizer for oral intake to be used in the functional food and beverage, as well as use thereof. The present skin moisturizer for oral intake contains as an active component fermented milk whey obtained by fermentation of milk with Lactobacillus helveticus, and the present functional food and beverage contains the skin moisturizer and has a skin moisturizing effect.