Abstract: The present invention provides a novel bacterial cell composition which comprises cells of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens having the ability to produce butyric acid, a cultured material thereof or an extract thereof, and a method for inhibiting carcinogenesis, a method for immunostimulating, a method for preventing or treating a pathogen, a method for preventing or treating an inflammatory bowel disease and a method for preventing or treating an allergic disease, which use the same.

Abstract: Disclosed is an agent for digesting a protein highly resistant to denaturation and degradation, comprising as an active ingredient an enzyme exhibiting an activity of digesting a protein highly resistant to denaturation and degradation and having the following properties: (a) activity and substrate specificity: hydrolyzing a peptide bond of a protein highly resistant to denaturation and degradation; (b) molecular weight: 31,000 (determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using a homogeneous gel having a gel concentration of 12%); (c) isoelectric point: pI 9.3 (determined by polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing electrophoresis); (d) optimum pH: pH 9.0 to 10.0; and (e) optimum temperature for activity: 60 to 70° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel bacterial cell composition which comprises cells of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens having the ability to produce butyric acid, a cultured material thereof or an extract thereof, and a method for inhibiting carcinogenesis, a method for immunostimulating, a method for preventing or treating a pathogen, a method for preventing or treating an inflammatory bowel disease and a method for preventing or treating an allergic disease, which use the same.

Abstract: The present invention intends to provide a granular composition which is stable at high temperature and high humidity and to provide a simple method of efficiently producing such a granular composition. According to the present invention, there is provided a granular composition containing a core material and a layer that covers the core material, in which the core material is made of saccharides and the layer that covers the core material contains a bioactive ingredient and a hardened oil. In addition, there is provided a method of producing the granular composition, including allowing a mixture of a molten hardened oil and a bioactive ingredient to adhere to a granular saccharide or to be formed into a film thereon.

Abstract: Disclosed is an agent for digesting a protein highly resistant to denaturation and degradation, comprising as an active ingredient an enzyme exhibiting an activity of digesting a protein highly resistant to denaturation and degradation and having the following properties: (a) activity and substrate specificity: hydrolyzing a peptide bond of a protein highly resistant to denaturation and degradation; (b) molecular weight: 31,000 (determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using a homogeneous gel having a gel concentration of 12%); (c) isoelectric point: pI 9.3 (determined by polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing electrophoresis); (d) optimum pH: pH 9.0 to 10.0; and (e) optimum temperature for activity: 60 to 70° C.