Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a material containing a saponin wherein the bitterness peculiar to saponin is effectively suppressed. According to the present invention, a saponin, a phytosterol and/or a phytosterol ester, and a cyclodextrin are mixed to form a complex, so as to suppress bitterness. The complex of the present invention can be formed in the presence of water by mixing a saponin, a phytosterol and/or a phytosterol ester, and a cyclodextrin. The complex of the present invention can be contained in a composition such as a food or beverage.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solid food, a cooked food containing the solid food as an ingredient thereof, and a method for producing the same, and the present invention relates to a method for producing a solid food imparted with a function of maintaining texture and improving storageability, comprising: (a) contacting an alkaline substance and a coating substance with the surface of a solid food; (b) coating the surface of the food with the coating substance by placing the food in an atmosphere at a temperature equal to or higher than the temperature at which the protein in the food is denatured by heat and the coating substance forms a coating; (c) heating the food under conditions equivalent to or more than a temperature of 80° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a processed food for cooking by heating with a microwave oven, containing edible fungi which do not make the sound of burst at the time of cooking by heating with the microwave oven due to treatments after harvesting them, and a processed food for cooking by heating with a microwave oven, containing edible fungi wherein the water absorption ratio of parts corresponding to those that are lightly stained in the caramel staining test is 15 weight % or more.

Abstract: A method for preparing a granular food comprises the steps of mixing a material to be granulated with oil and fat having an open-tubed melting point ranging from 40.degree. to 55.degree. C. under heating without addition of water, then subjecting the mixture to granulation through extrusion and rapidly cooling the granulated product. The method permits the dry granulation of foods without addition of water and efficient preparation of granular foods which do not require any process for adjusting particle size distribution of the resulting foods after granulation and which permits the production of granular foods having appropriate strength.