Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a body taste improver comprising a small amount of fat and oil, but significantly showing body taste, i.e., a body taste improver with a high titer. The high titer of the improver will reduce an amount of the fat and oil to be added and calorie as well, and will enable to use the body taste improver in foods that originally contain little fat and oil, such as Japanese-style clear soup and soybean soup. Thus, the present invention is related to a body taste improver comprising decomposed substances of a long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid and/or an ester thereof, to a body taste improver comprising an extract of decomposed substances of a long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid and/or an ester thereof, and to a food comprising said body taste improver.

Abstract: The purpose of the invention is to enhance the body taste, taste and flavor of foods. Thus, the present invention is related to a method for enhancing or making better body taste or taste of the foods by adding n-3 long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more of carbon atoms and 3 or more of double bonds, or adding n-6 long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 18 or more of carbon atoms and 3 or more of double bonds to them.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing a seasoning having an excellent roast meat like flavor without unpleasant odor derived from yeast and burnt odor derived from saccharide. The process comprises the steps of mixing a yeast extract containing at least one of cysteine, cystine, methionine, glutathione, ?-glutamylcysteine, cystebylglycine, and salts or hydrates thereof with saccharide and/or a nucleic acid-related substance to prepare a mixture; and heating the mixture under different pH conditions.

Abstract: A flavor of smoke generated by combustion, incomplete combustion, or thermal decomposition of a plant material may be improved by heating the smoke with a secondary heater. In particular, a dried smoked fish may be produced by drying boiled fish by a hot blast for a predetermined time so as to reduce a water content thereof to 30% or less by mass, and keeping the dried fish under an atmosphere of the smoke with the improved flavor. The temperature of hot blast is preferably decreased from 120° C. or higher at the initial drying step, to lower than 120° C. at the final drying step. According to this method, a favorable flavor is imparted to the food, and toxic ingredients such as benzopyrene are reduced.

Abstract: The present application provides a taste-improving glycopeptide, a seasoning containing the same, and a food or drink containing the seasoning. The taste-improving glycopeptide of the present invention has a molecular weight of from 1,000 to 30,000 and is composed of a sugar chain and a peptide linked to each other.

Abstract: The purpose of the invention is to enhance the body taste, taste and flavor of foods. Thus, the present invention is related to a method for enhancing or making better body taste or taste of the foods by adding n-3 long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more of carbon atoms and 3 or more of double bonds, or adding n-6 long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 18 or more of carbon atoms and 3 or more of double bonds to them.

Abstract: In the present application are disclosed a method for enhancing or improving the flavor of foods or drinks in general with the use of a non-volatile thiazolidine compound alone or a non-volatile flavor compound and/or a reaction flavor concurrently with the non-volatile thiazolidine compound, a simple and effective method for improving the flavor of a retort food by suppressing the flavor-deterioration upon heat sterilization or the unpleasant odor at the time of eating, and a simple and effective method for improving the flavor of a soybean-incorporated food product by suppressing the unpleasant, weed-like odor peculiar to soybean.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a body taste improver comprising a small amount of fat and oil, but significantly showing body taste, i.e., a body taste improver with a high titer. The high titer of the improver will reduce an amount of the fat and oil to be added and calorie as well, and will enable to use the body taste improver in foods that originally contain little fat and oil, such as Japanese-style clear soup and soybean soup. Thus, the present invention is related to a body taste improver comprising decomposed substances of a long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid and/or an ester thereof, to a body taste improver comprising an extract of decomposed substances of a long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid and/or an ester thereof, and to a food comprising said body taste improver.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a cysteine-rich food material by maintaining a food material containing ?-glutamylcysteine at a ratio of at least 1 wt % to the solid content thereof at a temperature ranging from 50 to 120° C. and at a pH ranging from 1 to 7. This process is conducted in the absence of a sugar and in the presence of water. The present invention also relates to a method for producing a cysteine-rich food material by reacting the food material with a ?-glutamyl peptide hydrolase at a pH ranging from 3 to 9 and at a temperature ranging from 15 to 70° C. in the present of water. Further, the present invention relates to a method for producing a flavor-enhancing material for use in food, food products obtained by these processes, and yeast cells or extracts for use in food products.

Abstract: Herein is disclosed a flavor precursor composition comprising as an active ingredient a flavor precursor compound (flavor precursor compound A) in which a volatile flavor compound having a mercapto group in the molecule and a non-volatile compound having a mercapto group in the molecule are bound to form a disulfide structure, or a flavor precursor compound (flavor precursor compound B) which is an organic compound represented by Formula (1) shown below in which R1H is a non-volatile compound and R2H is a volatile compound having in the molecule a furan ring structure (including a structure where part or all of the carbon—carbon double bonds thereof are hydrogenated) or a thiophene ring structure (including a structure where part or all of the carbon—carbon double bonds thereof are hydrogenated), said Formula (1) being: R1—(S)n—R2 ??(1) which composition can preserve, and release, the flavor effectively and can be used in the fields of fragrances and foods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a cysteine-rich food material by maintaining a food material containing &ggr;-glutamylcysteine at a ratio of at least 1 wt % to the solid content thereof at a temperature ranging from 50 to 120° C. and at a pH ranging from 1 to 7. This process is conducted in the absence of a sugar and in the presence of water. The present invention also relates to a method for producing a cysteine-rich food material by reacting the food material with a &ggr;-glutamyl peptide hydrolase at a pH ranging from 3 to 9 and at a temperature ranging from 15 to 70° C. in the present of water. Further, the present invention relates to a method for producing a flavor-enhancing material for use in food, food products obtained by these processes, and yeast cells or extracts for use in food products.

Abstract: A raw flavor material element giving “enriched flavor” to various raw flavor materials or foods and drinks, without any deterioration of the essential flavors thereof, raw food materials or foods and drinks containing the raw flavor material element, and a method for improving the flavor of a raw flavor material or a food or drink, using the raw flavor material element, where the raw flavor material element characteristically contains the following ingredients:

Abstract: In the present application are disclosed a method for enhancing or improving the flavor of foods or drinks in general with the use of a non-volatile thiazolidine compound alone or a non-volatile flavor compound and/or a reaction flavor concurrently with the non-volatile thiazolidine compound, a simple and effective method for improving the flavor of a retort food by suppressing the flavor-deterioration upon heat sterilization or the unpleasant odor at the time of eating, and a simple and effective method for improving the flavor of a soybean-incorporated food product by suppressing the unpleasant, weed-like odor peculiar to soybean.