Abstract: A hepatic disturbance improver which reduces fat in hepatocytes which includes an oligosaccharide of formula (1), (2) or (3), obtainable by hydrolyzing porphyran contained in seaweed of the genus Porphyra. The hepatic disturbance improver is advantageous, in that it reduces fat in hepatocytes without causing side effects.

Abstract: A microorganism belonging to the genus Flavobacterium posessing the capacity to decompose hydrocarbons, tolerance to sulfurous acids, tolerance to salinity, tolerance to organic solvents, and tolerance to pressure. The microorganism is of a strain of the genus Flavobacterium DS-711 (FERM BP-4010). A hydrocarbon emulsifier or solubilizer having as an active component thereof a water soluble and acetone insoluble fraction obtained by culturing DS-711 strain. In addition the emulsifier or solubilizer obtained by culturing the strain DS-711 contains 18.4% protein, 18.8% carbohydrates and 28.6% lipids.

Abstract: A microorganism belonging to the genus Flavobacterium possessing the capacity to decompose hydrocarbons, tolerance to sulfurous acids, tolerance to salinity, tolerance to organic solvents, and tolerance to pressure. The microorganism is a strain of the genus Flavobacterium DS-711 (FERM BP-4010).

Abstract: A yeast strain with high power to produce alcohol by fermentation is produced by a method comprising directly conjugating the haploid of the strain No. 909-1 with each tetrad of the ascospores of the strain No. 180 by spore-to-cell mating, acclimating the resultant zygote in the medium of waste after alcohol fermentation, and acclimating the surviving cells of the zygote in the medium of the beet molasses containing 2-deoxyglucose. The yeast strain produced is designated as Strain M-9 (FERM BP 1481) of genus Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Alcohol is produced by culturing the Strain M-9 in a medium of beet molasses.