Abstract: A bean curd skin having improved flavor and texture is provided by allowing the flavor and texture of the bean curd skin to be modified. An liquid bean extract including as a principal component a germinated bean extract derived from a germination-treated bean as a raw material is heated to obtain the bean curd skin. It is preferred that the germination-treated bean be germinated to an extent where the bitterness of the bean curd skin is reduced, and where the germination percentage of the germination-treated bean is 10% to 100%. The weight ratio of ?-aminobutyric acid to isoflavone in the liquid bean extract is more preferably in the range of 10 to 100 and 250 to 100.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to: a flavor improving agent for food including at least one selected from germinated whole fat soybean powder, and enzyme-inactivation-untreated ungerminated whole fat soybean powder; a flavor improving agent for food in which the germinated whole fat soybean powder is a product in a form of a powder of germinated soybean, a product in a form of a powder of a germinated soymilk, or a product in a form of a powder of a germinated whole grain soymilk; and a food produced by adding to a food or an intermediary material of the food in a production step of the food, the flavor improving agent in an amount accounting for 0.1 to 20% by mass of the solid content of the food or the solid content of the intermediary material of the food.

Abstract: A bean curd skin having improved flavor and texture is provided by allowing the flavor and texture of the bean curd skin to be modified. An liquid bean extract including as a principal component a germinated bean extract derived from a germination-treated bean as a raw material is heated to obtain the bean curd skin. It is preferred that the germination-treated bean be germinated to an extent where the bitterness of the bean curd skin is reduced, and where the germination percentage of the germination-treated bean is 10% to 100%. The weight ratio of ?-aminobutyric acid to isoflavone in the liquid bean extract is more preferably in the range of 10 to 100 and 250 to 100. It is also preferred that the liquid bean extract further contains a common bean extract that is derived from a germination-untreated bean not subjected to germination treatment as a raw material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a neutral fat reducing composition which reduces a blood neutral fat safely and efficiently, and whose active ingredient is a soybean protein containing 50% or more of a 7S globulin fractionated from a soybean protein and 0.2% or less of phytate based on the proteins. Its effect is further enhanced by removing a oil-body-associated protein and reducing a chloroform methanol-extractable oil fraction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to fats and oils composition for reducing lipids in blood, comprising a triglyceride in which specified fatty acids are artificially combined at the first portion, the second portion and third portion of the triglyceride molecule. The present composition is preferably useful for foods. Such fats and oils composition for reducing lipids in blood, comprising triglycerides containing a RMRLRM triglyceride as an effective component, having Formula I. In formula I, wherein RM is an acyl group of a saturated medium chain fatty acid having 8 to 10 carbon atoms, RL is an acyl group of a monounsaturated long chain fatty acid having 16 to 18 carbon atoms, C1 is the first carbon of the triglyceride, C2 is the second carbon of the triglyceride, and C3 is the third carbon of the triglyceride.

Abstract: The present invention provides a neutral fat reducing composition which reduces a blood neutral fat safely and efficiently, and whose active ingredient is a soybean protein containing 50% or more of a 7S globulin fractionated from a soybean protein and 0.2% or less of phytate based on the proteins. Its effect is further enhanced by removing a oil-body-associated protein and reducing a chloroform methanol-extractable oil fraction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to fats and oils composition for reducing lipids in blood, comprising a triglyceride in which specified fatty acids are artificially combined at the first portion, the second portion and third portion of the triglyceride molecule. The present composition is preferably useful for foods. Such fats and oils composition for reducing lipids in blood, comprising triglycerides containing a RMRLRM triglyceride as an effective component, having Formula I. In formula I, wherein RM is an acyl group of a saturated medium chain fatty acid having 8 to 10 carbon atoms, RL is an acyl group of a monounsaturated long chain fatty acid having 16 to 18 carbon atoms, C1 is the first carbon of the triglyceride, C2 is the second carbon of the triglyceride, and C3 is the third carbon of the triglyceride.

Abstract: The present invention relates to fats and oils composition for reducing lipids in blood, comprising a triglyceride in which specified fatty acids are artificially combined at the first portion, the second portion and third portion of the triglyceride molecule. The present composition is preferably useful for foods.

Abstract: A cholesterol oxide adsorbing agent whose effective component is a plant-derived water-soluble polysaccharide, a process for producing the cholesterol oxide adsorbing agent characterized by extraction of the polysaccharide from the plant at from 80.degree. C. to 130.degree. C., a method of adsorbing cholesterol oxide using the plant-derived water-soluble polysaccharide, and a process for producing foods characterized by adding the plant-derived water-soluble polysaccharide to foods containing cholesterol or cholesterol oxide.

Abstract: An agent for depressing ingestion of food as well as food and feed containing such an agent are disclosed. The agent may be one or plurality of triglycerides containing fatty acid residues having not more than 10 carbon atoms at 1,3-positions thereof and stearic acid residue at 2-position thereof. The agent may also be a fat or oil containing the triglycerides.