Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of enhancing the salty taste of a food or beverage containing salt which comprises adding an acidic peptide or a peptide obtained by subjecting a protein to hydrolysis and deamidation to the food or beverage, a salty taste enhancer comprising the peptide as an active ingredient, a salty taste seasoning agent comprising the peptide and salt, and a food or beverage comprising the salty taste enhancer or the salty taste seasoning agent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of enhancing the salty taste of a food or beverage containing salt which comprises adding an acidic peptide or a peptide obtained by subjecting a protein to hydrolysis and deamidation to the food or beverage, a salty taste enhancer comprising the peptide as an active ingredient, a salty taste seasoning agent comprising the peptide and salt, and a food or beverage comprising the salty taste enhancer or the salty taste seasoning agent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a flavoring agent, which includes treating milk or milk products with lipase, and in the presence of an alcohol, with an animal-derived enzyme which has the activity of forming an ester from an organic acid and an alcohol (hereinafter referred to as an ester-synthesizing enzyme). A flavoring agent having a rich fruity flavor can be produced by using, as the ester-synthesizing enzyme, an enzyme which has the ethyl butyrate-synthesizing activity of 0.1 unit/mg protein or above when 0.5% (w/w) ethanol and 2.6% (w/w) butyric acid are used as substrates. The flavoring agent according to the present invention is useful in processing not only milk products but also various foods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing foods and beverages having a desirable flavor which comprises bringing an animal-derived, ethyl butyrate-synthesizing enzyme having a potency in the range of 0.1 unit/mg protein or higher under the conditions that ethyl butyrate is formed by reacting 0.5% (w/w) ethanol with 2.6% (w/w) butyric acid, or a substance containing the enzyme into contact with the foods and beverages during their production process.

Abstract: The present invention provides a recombinant DNA comprised of a vector DNA and a DNA fragment containing a gene coding for .gamma.-glutamyl transpeptidase derived from Bacillus subtilis. The invention also provides a process for producing .gamma.-glutamyl transpeptidase, which comprises culturing in a culture medium a microorganism belonging to the genus Bacillus which is carrying recombinant DNA comprised of a vector DNA and DNA fragment which contains a gene coding for .gamma.-glutamyl transpeptidase derived from the genus Bacillus, accumulating .gamma.-glutamyl transpeptidase in the culture, and recovering .gamma.-glutamyl transpeptidase therefrom.

Abstract: A process for modifying the properties of egg yolk, which comprises treating egg yolk with an effective amount of phospholipase D derived from a microorganism, thereby to convert phospholipids contained in said egg yolk into phosphatidic acid.

Abstract: A dough improver composition for improving the quality of bread, cake and the like baked products, contains a vital gluten, and emulsifier and complex of the vital gluten and an emulsifier. The proportion of emulsifier in the complex to the dough improver composition is 1 to 20%, and the complex is obtained by mixing a vital gluten with a hydrated emulsifier in such a proportion that the water content in the mixture is in the range of from 10 to 35%, and allowing the mixture to stand.

Abstract: Lysophosphatidic acid and the physiologically compatible salts thereof possess particularly advantageous properties as emulsifiers for use in foodstuffs and in particular exhibit unexpectedly good results when used in a process for making dough, for use in the production of farinaceous products, in which a wheat flour is mixed with 0.01 to 2.0% by weight (based on the weight of wheat flour) of lysophosphatidic acid or a physiologically compatible salt thereof.The emulsifiers of the invention comprise a mixture of phospholipids, the mixture comprising lysophosphatidic acid or a physiologically compatible salt thereof in an amount of at least 30 mol %. The emulsifiers may be prepared by treating a mixture of phospholipids with phospholipase D and phospholipase A.

Abstract: A process for improving the quality of whey protein, characterized by maintaining whey protein solution at a pH of from 8.5 to 11.5 and a temperature of from 35.degree. to 50.degree. C., adding to the solution a mixture of at least one acid selected from citric acid, phosphoric acid, polyphosphoric acids, phytic acid and oxalic acid with at least one acid selected from hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, succinic acid and maleic acid so as to adjust the pH of the solution to 6-8. By the process of this invention, it is possible to obtain a whey protein having improved brittleness and excellent bending strength.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp unit according to this invention has a structure wherein a circular fluorescent tube is fixed merely by the engagement between an upper cover having a screw base and a lower cover. A starting circuit of the fluorescent lamp unit uses a ballast resistor as a stabilizer.Accordingly, the fluorescent lamp unit is small in size, light in weight and low in price and can be conveniently attached to a socket.

Abstract: A process for producing cured meat products, which comprises treating a raw meat with a curing agent, and ascorbic acid and/or alkali metal salts thereof in the presence of ascorbinase. It is possible by this process to improve the color of cured meat products while greatly reducing the amount of the curing agent used.