Abstract: High water-soluble marshmallows having solubility so as to be dissolved to form a creamy layer while topping a beverage and adapted to be drunk or eaten in a creamy or liquefied state on the beverage. Each marshmallow has a water activity of 0.70 or more, being of a disk shape that has a substantially circular periphery in a plan view and has curved outlines at the periphery in a vertical section. The marshmallows are dissolved on the surface of hot coffee to form a uniform layer in thickness and provide creamy marshmallow coffee. The marshmallows have a pleasant texture and taste good when they are mixed with an ice cream.

Abstract: An encoder unit comprising an object to be detected having a track having a first region with a magnetization pattern at a predetermined pitch and a second region having no periodic magnetization pattern, and a detector having a magnetoresistance effect element arranged in the direction which intersects the direction of the magnetic flux of the magnetization pattern and in opposed relationship with the object to be detected. The encoder unit is simple in construction yet capable of detecting the position of the object to be detected with a higher degree of accuracy than conventional encoders.

Abstract: Magnetic thin films are formed on two base plates in relation to tracks of a recording medium. After a non-magnetic thin film is disposed on the magnetic thin films, the two base plates are joined via the non-magnetic thin film to form a magnetic gap, so that a magnetic head is fabricated. The magnetic head can be mass-produced in a simple process with uniform quality, and offers a small area of the surface opposite to each other in adjacent recording and/or reproducing portions, so that crosstalk is reduced.