Abstract: The present invention has objects for providing a method for inhibiting the moisture variation in compositions, a composition whose moisture variation is inhibited, and an agent for inhibiting the moisture variation in compositions. The objects are solved by providing a method for inhibiting the moisture variation in compositions comprising incorporating into a composition a saccharide-derivative(s) of ?,?-trehalose as an effective ingredient, a composition whose moisture variation is inhibited by incorporating the saccharide-derivative(s), a moisture variation inhibiting agent containing the saccharide-derivative(s) as an effective ingredient, and uses thereof.

Abstract: The present invention has objects to provide a method of lowering the unpleasant taste and/or smell of compositions, and an agent for lowering unpleasant taste and/or smell. The objects are solved by providing a method of lowering unpleasant taste and/or smell, comprising a step of incorporating an saccharide derivative of ?,?-trehalose in compositions; a composition with lowered unpleasant taste and/or smell, obtainable by the method; and an agent for lowering unpleasant taste and/or smell, comprising an saccharide derivatives of ?,?-trehalose as an effective ingredients.

Abstract: The present invention has the object to dehydrate hydrous matters without denaturing or deteriorating them by using a dehydrating agent comprising an anhydrous cyclotetrasaccharide, and provides a dehydrating agent comprising the cyclotetrasaccharide; a method for dehydrating hydrous matters through a step of incorporating, contacting or coexisting the cyclotetrasaccharide into, with, or in the hydrous matters; and dehydrated products obtainable thereby.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a radical reaction inhibitory agent for inhibiting unsaturated compounds from decomposing through radical reactions, a method for inhibiting the formation of free radicals from unsaturated compounds and radical reactions thereof, and a composition which is suppressed in radical formation, radical reaction, or progress thereof. The object is solved by establishing a radical reaction inhibitory agent containing as an effective ingredient cyclotetrasaccharide or a mixture of cyclotetrasaccharide and its saccharide derivative(s), a method for inhibiting the formation of free radicals from unsaturated compounds and radical reactions thereof, and a composition which contains the agent and which is suppressed in radical formation, radical reaction, or progress thereof.

Abstract: A reduction inhibitory agent for active oxygen eliminating activity which comprises cyclotetrasaccharide i.e., cyclo{6}-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 3)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 6)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 3)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1), as an effective ingredient, a method for inhibiting the reduction of active oxygen eliminating activity which comprises incorporating either cyclotetrasaccharide or the reduction inhibitory agent into plant edible products and/or plant antioxidants, and a composition where the reduction of active oxygen eliminating activity of the plant edible products and/or plant antioxidants has been satisfactorily inhibited by the method.

Abstract: Disclosed are a reduction inhibitory agent for active oxygen eliminating activity, comprising: (a) at least 10% (w/w) of a cyclotetrasaccharide having a basic cyclic structure in Chemical Formula 1, on a dry solid basis; and Chemical Formula 1: (b) at least one member selected from the group consisting of saccharides and edible fibers; a method for inhibiting the reduction of active oxygen eliminating activity, comprising a step of incorporating at least one percent (w/w) of a cyclotetrasaccharide having a basic cyclic structure in Chemical Formula 1 to a plant substance, on a dry solid basis, into said plant substance with active oxygen eliminating activity in an aqueous system; and a composition obtainable by incorporating at least one percent (w/w) of a cyclotetrasaccharide having a basic cyclic structure in Chemical Formula 1 to said plant substance, on a dry solid basis, into a plant substance with active oxygen eliminating activity to inhibit the reduction of the activity of said plant substance.

Abstract: The first object of the present invention is to provide a method for preparing an aroma-retaining material, which enables to increase the adsorbed aroma amount, retain the aroma for a long period of time, and impart stability. The second object of the present invention is to provide an aroma-retaining material, which can retain aroma for a long period of time and has satisfactory stability. The third object of the present invention is to provide a composition comprising the aroma-retaining material. The forth object of the present invention is to provide an aroma-retaining agent, which enables to stabilize an aromatic substance. The fifth object of the present invention is to provide a retained-releasing bactericide comprising the aroma-retaining material.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an ?-isomaltosyl-transferring enzyme which forms a cyclotetrasaccharide having the structure of cyclo{?6)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1?3)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1?6)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1?3)-?-D-glucopyranosyl-(1?} from a saccharide having a glucose polymerization degree of at least three and having both the ?-1,6 glucosidic linkage as a linkage at the non-reducing end and the ?-1,4 glucosidic linkage other than the linkage at the non-reducing end; microorganisms which produce the enzyme; process for producing the enzyme; cyclotetra-saccharide or saccharide compositions comprising the same; and uses thereof.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a novel process for producing isomaltose and uses thereof and is solved by providing a process for producing isomaltose characterized in that it comprises the steps of allowing &agr;-isomaltosylglucosaccharide-forming enzyme, in the presence or the absence of &agr;-isomaltosyl-transferring enzyme, to act on saccharides, which have a glucose polymerization degree of at least two and &agr;-1,4 glucosidic linkage as a linkage at the non-reducing end, to form &agr;-isomaltosylglucosaccharides, which have a glucose polymerization degree of at least three, &agr;-1,6 glucosidic linkage as a linkage at the non-reducing end, and &agr;-1,4 glucosidic linkage as a linkage other than the non-reducing end, and/or to form cyclo{→6)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→}; allowing isomaltose-releasing enzyme to act on the formed saccharides to release isomaltose; an

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a novel glycosyl derivative of cyclotetrasaccharide represented by cyclo{→6)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→}, and it is solved by providing a branched cyclotetrasaccharide, wherein one or more hydrogen atoms in the hydroxyl groups of cyclotetrasaccharide are replaced with an optionally substituted glycosyl group, with the proviso that, when only one hydrogen atom in the C-6 hydroxyl group among the above hydrogen atoms is substituted with an optionally-substituted glycosyl group, the substituted glycosyl group is one selected from those excluding D-glucosyl group.

Abstract: A thermoplastic shaped-body of trehalose obtainable by concentrating a trehalose solution by heating either to lower the moister content of the solution to a level of not higher than about 8.3 w/w % in the presence of a substance capable of lowering the adhesion of a trehalose solution, or to lower the moisture content of the trehalose solution to a level of not higher than about 2.4 w/w %.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a composition of metal ion compound whose inherent and unsatisfactory properties for its industrial application such as deliquescence, reducing power, oxidizing power, low solubility in water, etc., are improved; and their preparation and uses. The present invention solves the above object by providing an associate of trehalose or maltitol and a metal ion compound or bittern component, and their preparation and uses.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a polypeptide which can be used to produce a saccharide having the structure of cyclo{→6)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→}, a DNA encoding the polypeptide, and uses thereof.

Abstract: A polypeptide having &bgr;-fructofuranosidase activity is obtained by the expression of a microbial gene, which polypeptide contains the amino acid sequences of SEQ ID NO:1 and SEQ ID NO:2 in whole or in part as an amino acid sequence. This polypeptide is useful for producing fructofuranosyl transferred saccharides.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a polypeptide which can be used to produce a saccharide having a structure of cyclo{→6)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→}, a DNA encoding the polypeptide, and uses thereof.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide means of inhibiting chemical changes in unsaturated compounds by radical reactions through inhibition of radical formation in such an unsaturated compound: The present invention attains such an objective by providing an agent which comprises trehalose as an effective ingredient to form an association product between trehalose and an unsaturated compound.

Abstract: A crystalline &agr;-D-glucosyl &agr;-D-galactoside which has a melting point of 119-123° C.; a saccharide composition comprising the same; a process for producing the same or the saccharide composition comprising the same, which comprises (i) crystallizing &agr;-D-glucosyl &agr;-D-galactoside from its solution and (ii) collecting the grown crystalline &agr;-D-glucosyl &agr;-D-galactoside; a method for converting amorphous &agr;-D-glucosyl &agr;-D-galactoside to crystalline &agr;-D-glucosyl &agr;-D-galactoside in the presence of moisture; and a composition comprising the crystalline &agr;-D-glucosyl &agr;-D-galactoside or the saccharide composition comprising the same.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an &agr;-isomaltosylglucosaccharide-forming enzyme, process of the same, cyclotetrasaccharide, and saccharide composition comprising the saccharide which are obtainable by using the enzyme; and is solved by establishing an &agr;-isomaltosylglucosaccharide-forming enzyme which forms a saccharide, having a glucose polymerization degree of at least three and having both the &agr;-1,6 glucosidic linkage as a linkage at the non-reducing end and the &agr;-1,4 glucosidic linkage other than the linkage at the non-reducing end, by catalyzing the &agr;-glucosyl-transfer from a saccharide having a glucose polymerization degree of at least two and having the &agr;-1,4 glucosidic linkage as a linkage at the non-reducing end without substantially increasing the reducing power; &agr;-isomaltosyl-transferring method using the enzyme; method for forming &agr;-isomaltosylglucosaccharide; process for producing a cyclotetrasaccharide having the structure of cyclo{→6)-&a

Abstract: A reduction inhibitory agent for active oxygen eliminating activity which comprises cyclotetrasaccharide, i.e., cyclo{→6}-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-&agr;-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→), as an effective ingredient, a method for inhibiting the reduction of active oxygen eliminating activity which comprises incorporating either cyclotetrasaccharide or the reduction inhibitory agent into plant edible products and/or plant antioxidants, and a composition where the reduction of active oxygen eliminating activity of the plant edible products and/or plant antioxidants has been satisfactorily inhibited by the method.

Abstract: Disclosed are a composition for inhibiting body odor which comprises trehalose and/or maltitol as an effective ingredient, a method for inhibiting body odor by using the composition, and an article incorporated with the composition.