Abstract: Disclosed are an assimilation accelerator which contains &bgr;-glucooligosaccharide as an active ingredient, a calcium-supplementing diet which contains &bgr;-glucooligosaccharide and a calcium material, and a method for accelerating calcium assimilation using the calcium assimilation accelerator.

Abstract: At least one enzyme selected from .alpha.-amylase of various types, an oligosaccharide-forming amylase, .beta.-amylase and a debranching enzyme and an enzyme capable of forming nigerooligosaccharide by transglycosylation and/or condensation reaction are allowed to successively or simultaneously act on a material comprised of at least one selected from i) starch, ii) a maltooligosaccharide with a degree of polymerization not lower than maltose and iii) a dextrin, to form nigerooligosaccharide, which is thereafter optionally reduced to obtain a starch sugar composition containing the nigerooligosaccharide or a reduction product thereof. This starch sugar composition may be added to food and drink as at least part of its sweeteners, whereby various advantages can be provided, e.g., not only a sweetness can be imparted, but also the quality of sweetness can be improved, and the moisture retention of foods can be improved.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for production on an industrial scale of the branched fructooligosaccharide indicated by the general structural formula below using microorganisms or an enzyme produced by microorganisms which belong to the genus Aspergillus, ##STR1## wherein in the formula above, m=0-10, n=0-8 and m+n=3-10.

Abstract: A .beta.-glucooligosaccharide-containing composition comprising at least one material selected from food, drink and medicine, and at least one selected from a glucooligosaccharide comprising at least one .beta.-1,6 bond and a reduced product thereof. A method of improving intestinal floras, comprising administering to a human or animal for ingestion a physiologically effective amount of at least one selected from a glucooligosaccharide comprising at least one .beta.-1,6 bond and a reduced product thereof. The ingestion of the .beta.-glucooligosaccharide and/or the reduced product thereof can bring about promotion of the selective growth of useful bacteria such as Bifidobacteria and lactic acid bacteria, inhibition of the growth of harmful bacteria or putrefactive bacteria, and hence improvement in the intestinal floras.

Abstract: Highly purified derivatives of maltooligosaccharides can be produced at a high yield by reacting, in a mixture of a hydrophilic organic solvent and water, a mixture of maltooligosaccharides or a substance capable of being converted into the maltooligosaccharides upon reaction with an amylase, and an o-glucosyl derivative, with the amylase.The resulting derivatives of maltooligosaccharides are useful as a substrate for the determination of .alpha.-amylase activity in a humor, physiologically active substances, natural dieteic sweetenings, coloring agents and the like.

Abstract: Process for producing starch sugar which comprises contacting liquefied starch with amylase immobilized onto porous chitosan. Immobilized debranching enzyme can be used in combination with the amylase. The debranching enzyme is immobilized onto a specific support.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing .gamma.-cyclodextrin without using any organic solvents i.e. by non-solvent process and more particularly, to processes for producing .gamma.-cyclodextrin, which comprise: (1) passing a sugar solution containing cyclodextrins and reducing sugars as primary ingredients through a column packed with alkali or alkali earth metal salts of strongly acidic cation exchange resin to separate cyclodextrins fraction from reducing sugars fraction and then, passing the cyclodextrins fraction through a column packed with gel resin particles to separate and collect .gamma.-cyclodextrin and, (2) bringing the sugar solution into contact with a hydrophobic, synthetic adsorption resin comprising a porous polymer to adsorb only .gamma.-cyclodextrin or .gamma.- and .beta.-cyclodextrins and then, eluting the adsorbed cyclodextrin(s) with water to separate and collect .gamma.-cyclodextrin.