Abstract: Disclosed are a composition having an anti-inflammatory function and a therapeutic method using the composition, both of which are effective for inflammatory diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease. Specifically disclosed are: an anti-inflammatory functional agent for oral application, which comprises a soybean peptide, wherein the soybean peptide contains fractions each having a molecular weight of 500 or less and excluding any free amino acid in an amount of 40 wt % or more and has a free amino acid content of 7 wt % or less; and a therapeutic method using the anti-inflammatory functional agent.

Abstract: A process for producing baked snacks such as crackers and pretzels. By using this process, baked snacks can be easily produced without any restriction in the composition (moisture content, oil content, etc.) or the production procedure for avoiding blistering, as in the conventional processes.

Abstract: A biodegradable lubricant base oil of satisfactory low-temperature fluidity, oxidative stability and lubricity, and having a low cloud point, is disclosed. The lubricant base oil is manufactured by mixing and subjecting the following simultaneously to an ester-interchange reaction in the presence of an enzymatic catalyst: (A) 30 to 60% by weight of a fat/oil containing 20% by weight or more trans-isomeric fatty acids, 60% or more by weight mono-ene fatty acids having 16 or more carbons, and 12% or less by weight di-ene fatty acids having 16 or more carbons; (B) 5 to 35% by weight of a fat/oil wherein substantially none of the fatty acids is trans-isomeric, and including 60% or more by weight mono-ene fatty acids having 16 or more carbons, and 12% or less by weight di-ene fatty acids having 16 or more carbons; and (C) 15 to 45% by weight of either a fat/oil comprising 80% by weight or more medium-chain saturated fatty acids, or medium-chain fatty acids, or lower alcohol esters of medium-chain fatty acids.

Abstract: A hard butter additive composition which comprises the middle melting point fraction of random interesterified palm stearin is provided. The hard butter additive composition of the present invention is useful for admixing with raw materials for hard butter which are not transisomerized fats nor lauric fats, and can prevent fat blooming and/or graining and improve mold removability of hard butter products such as chocolate or center cream without a tempering process.

Abstract: There is disclosed an animal and vegetable lubricating oil composition which comprises a triglyceride, wherein the content of isolated trans isomers in component fatty acids of the triglyceride is 40% by weight to 100% by weight based on the whole weight of component fatty acids, and wherein the iodine value of the triglyceride is 50 to 90.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for preparing refined palm oil by treating a fat or oil containing palm oil as a main ingredient with an activated clay having 250 to 350 m.sup.2 /g of a specific surface area and containing 0 to 3% by weight of ferric oxide and 70 to 90% by weight of silicon oxide. According to the process of the present invention, refined palm oil which hardly causes browning even upon heating and color reversion can be obtained.

Abstract: Moist pellet feed for breeding fish comprising (A) not less than 50 parts by weight of a raw feed, (B) not more than 50 parts by weight of a powdery mixed feed, and (C) a sodium carboxymethyl cellulose which has free carboxylic acid groups in the molecule and which, as a 1% aqueous solution at 25.degree. C., has a viscosity of not less than 1000 cps, wherein an equivalent ratio of free carboxylic acid groups to sodium carboxylate groups in said sodium carboxymethyl cellulose is preferably from 0.005:1 to 0.02:1, and the amount of said component (C) is from 0.5 to 10% by weight based on the total amount of said components (A) and (B). By using the specific binding agent, the moist pellet feed has a proper hardness and little to not stickiness.