Abstract: Disclosed is gluten having good dispersibility in water. Also disclosed is a method for producing active gluten, a gluten-containing food or a gluten gel efficiently by using a gluten dispersion solution. Further disclosed is a method for producing a gluten hydrolysate efficiently by preparing a gluten dispersion solution in a simple manner and hydrolyzing the dispersion solution. Gluten, which normally forms an aggregate in water, can be dispersed readily by mixing gluten with a water-soluble polysaccharide containing galacturonic acid. The gluten dispersion solution thus prepared can be used to produce active gluten, a gluten-containing food or a gluten gel efficiently, and can be also used to prepare a gluten hydrolysate in a simple manner, efficiently and stably.

Abstract: The object is to improve the bubble retention in a sparkling beverage such as a malt alcoholic beverage including a beer and a sparkling liquor, a sparkling alcoholic beverage produced without any malt and a carbonated refreshing beverage including a soda pop and a cream soda. Disclosed is a bubble stabilizer comprising, as an active ingredient, a water-soluble soybean polysaccharide which is produced by the heat-extraction from a soybean or a processed product of a soybean at a pH lower than the isoelectric point of a soybean protein and ranging from 2.4 to 4.0 at a temperature of 100° C. or higher. The bubble stabilizer can be added to a malt alcoholic beverage such as a beer and a sparkling liquor, a sparkling alcoholic beverage produced without any malt or a carbonated refreshing beverage such as a soda pop and a lemon soda to thereby improve the bubble retention in the beverage.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a method of practically obtaining a natural antioxidant, which gives a sense of security to consumers when added to foods, by efficiently taking out an antioxidant component from soybeans. It is confirmed that a hot water extract obtained by extracting a soybean seeds with hot water at a high temperature exceeding 100° C. under weakly acidic conditions has an antioxidant effect. A low-molecular weight fraction of this hot water extract is further fractionated by taking advantage of a difference in solubility in a water-containing organic solvent or using an appropriate filter suitable for the molecular weight size to thereby efficiently give a highly antioxidant fraction.

Abstract: Legume-derived, and particularly soybean-derived, water-soluble polysaccharides are added to thickener-containing powder supplied with an instant food to prevent clumping of powder masses during reconstitution and for a more homogeneous reconstitution. Thus, the problem is solved which is encountered with soup powders such as a thickened soup powder and a curry-seasoned soup powder, which are supplied with instant foods such as instant noodles, containing thickeners such as starch or gum substances to impart thickness, whereby reconstitution in a stationary state produces swelling of the thickener and prevents adequate dispersion, resulting in scattering of powder masses in the soup and clumping at the bottom of the container and, thereby, impairing the taste.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a method of practically obtaining a natural antioxidant, which gives a sense of security to consumers when added to foods, by efficiently taking out an antioxidant component from soybeans. It is confirmed that a hot water extract obtained by extracting a soybean seeds with hot water at a high temperature exceeding 100° C. under weakly acidic conditions has an antioxidant effect. A low-molecular weight fraction of this hot water extract is further fractionated by taking advantage of a difference in solubility in a water-containing organic solvent or using an appropriate filter suitable for the molecular weight size to thereby efficiently give a highly antioxidant fraction.

Abstract: A cooked rice food product reduced in the degradation in taste, texture, and aspects of quality due to distribution in the refrigerated or frozen state and thawing at a low temperature or at room temperature as a method rendering it into a consumable state, by the addition of water-soluble soybean polysaccharides, a sugar alcohol, and amylase.

Abstract: Acidic protein foods employing pectin which has been low-molecularized to a viscosity of no greater than 150 mPa·s as a stabilizer for the acidic protein foods, wherein the pectin is added at greater than 0.4 wt % to the acidic protein foods. It is possible to achieve a wider stable pH range and improvement in palatable texture due to lower viscosity of the products.

Abstract: There are provided high quality pectins obtained by extraction from root vegetables, a process for their production, acidic protein foods that are stable in an acidic pH range above the isoelectric point of their proteins and are obtained using the pectins, and a process for their production. By adding an emulsifier during extraction of pectins from root vegetables for insolubilization of the starch impurities for their separation and removal, it is possible to produce highly pure pectins, which may be used to obtain acidic protein foods of satisfactory quality.

Abstract: By amylase treatment of water-soluble polysaccharide aqueous solutions extracted from legumes under acidic conditions, for hydrolysis of the starch substances that are a source of precipitates and suspended matter, it is possible to improve the clarity of the aqueous solutions while also preventing production of precipitates during long-term storage or cold storage of the aqueous solutions.

Abstract: A method for production of pectin that includes hot water extraction from a root vegetable under weak acidic conditions of pH 3.8-5.3 and pectin produced by the method, as well as a method for production of acidic protein food products that includes addition of the pectin to acidic protein food products, and acidic protein food products produced by the method.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for production of water-soluble vegetable fibers in a high yield with minimizing contamination of protein or amino acids resulting from degradation of protein by degrading water-insoluble vegetable fibers containing protein under acidic conditions of at about the isoelectric point of the protein and at a temperature of 130° C. or lower. Biodegradable films, paste, chewing gum and low calorie food products using the water-soluble vegetable fibers are also disclosed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for production of water-soluble vegetable fibers in a high yield with minimizing contamination of protein or amino acids resulting from degradation of protein by degrading water-insoluble vegetable fibers containing protein under acidic conditions of at about the isoelectric point of the protein and at a temperature of 130° C. or lower. Biodegradable films, paste, chewing gum and low calorie food products using the water-soluble vegetable fibers are also disclosed.

Abstract: There are provided high quality pectins obtained by extraction from root vegetables, a process for their production, acidic protein foods that are stable in an acidic pH range above the isoelectric point of their proteins and are obtained using the pectins, and a process for their production. By adding an emulsifier during extraction of pectins from root vegetables for insolubilization of the starch impurities for their separation and removal, it is possible to produce highly pure pectins, which may be used to obtain acidic protein foods of satisfactory quality.

Abstract: A process for producing inorganic molds involving molding a kneaded mixture containing a particulate inorganic material and water, which process comprises adding water-soluble hemicellulose to the kneaded mixture. The process provides inorganic molds with excellent dispersion stability of the inorganic material particles and improved plasticity, workability including fillability and shape retention, as well as strength.

Abstract: By amylase treatment of water-soluble polysaccharide aqueous solutions extracted from legumes under acidic conditions, for hydrolysis of the starch substances that are a source of precipitates and suspended matter, it is possible to improve the clarity of the aqueous solutions while also preventing production of precipitates during long-term storage or cold storage of the aqueous solutions.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for production of water-soluble vegetable fibers in a high yield with minimizing contamination of protein or amino acids resulting from degradation of protein by degrading water-insoluble vegetable fibers containing protein under acidic conditions of at about the isoelectric point of the protein and at a temperature of 130° C. or lower. Biodegradable films, paste, chewing gum and low calorie food products using the water-soluble vegetable fibers are also disclosed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for production of water-soluble vegetable fibers in a high yield with minimizing contamination of protein or amino acids resulting from degradation of protein by degrading water-insoluble vegetable fibers containing protein under acidic conditions of at about the isoelectric point of the protein and at a temperature of 130.degree. C. or lower. Biodegradable films, paste, chewing gum and low calorie food products using the water-soluble vegetable fibers are also disclosed.

Abstract: A coated product in the form of solid particles of a food or pharmaceutical wherein the particles are each coated with a water-soluble hemicellulose. The water-soluble hemicellulose has a viscosity in the range of from 50 to 1,000 mPa.multidot.s at 25.degree. C. when dissolved in water in an amount of 10% by weight and has a reducing sugar content of 5% by weight or less and an amino acid content, as measured by assay with 2,4,6-trinitrobenezene sulfonic acid, of 1.0% by weight or less.

Abstract: A dry test piece for measuring a magnesium concentration in a biological fluid, which comprises the following reagent components (i) to (iii): (i) o-cresolphthalein complexon; (ii) O,O'-bis(2-aminophenyl)ethylene glycol-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid; and (iii) a pH buffer agent of pH 8.5 to 11.0.

Abstract: A cement composition comprising a cement base and hemicellulose. The cement composition produces reduced efforescence and less bleeding. Self-leveling materials containing the cement composition also produce reduced efforescence and less bleeding and exhibit improved surface adhesion strength.