Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fermented product containing equol-producing microorganisms in the state of living cells by which equol production ability is maintained. When producing a fermented material by using an equol-producing microorganism, with soybean powder or soybean milk as raw materials, (1) preparing a mother starter by fermentation under anaerobic conditions by using an equol-producing microorganism in the presence of a daidzein species at pH 5.0 or higher, (2) preparing a bulk starter by fermentation under anaerobic conditions by using said mother starter in the presence of a daidzein species at pH 5.0 or higher, and (3) preparing a fermented material by fermentation by using said bulk starter in a medium containing soybean powder or soybean milk, enables production of a fermented material containing microorganisms in the state of living cells in which the equol production ability is maintained.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fermented product containing equol-producing microorganisms in the state of living cells by which equol production ability is maintained. When producing a fermented material by using an equol-producing microorganism, with soybean powder or soybean milk as raw materials, (1) preparing a mother starter by fermentation under anaerobic conditions by using an equol-producing microorganism in the presence of a daidzein species at pH 5.0 or higher, (2) preparing a bulk starter by fermentation under anaerobic conditions by using said mother starter in the presence of a daidzein species at pH 5.0 or higher, and (3) preparing a fermented material by fermentation by using said bulk starter in a medium containing soybean powder or soybean milk, enables production of a fermented material containing microorganisms in the state of living cells in which the equol production ability is maintained.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fermented product containing equol-producing microorganisms in the state of living cells by which equol production ability is maintained. When producing a fermented material by using an equol-producing microorganism, with soybean powder or soybean milk as raw materials, (1) preparing a mother starter by fermentation under anaerobic conditions by using an equol-producing microorganism in the presence of a daidzein species at pH 5.0 or higher, (2) preparing a bulk starter by fermentation under anaerobic conditions by using said mother starter in the presence of a daidzein species at pH 5.0 or higher, and (3) preparing a fermented material by fermentation by using said bulk starter in a medium containing soybean powder or soybean milk, enables production of a fermented material containing microorganisms in the state of living cells in which the equol production ability is maintained.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a fermented product containing equol-producing microorganisms in the state of living cells by which equol production ability is maintained. When producing a fermented material by using an equol-producing microorganism, with soybean powder or soybean milk as raw materials, (1) preparing a mother starter by fermentation under anaerobic conditions by using an equol-producing microorganism in the presence of a daidzein species at pH 5.0 or higher, (2) preparing a bulk starter by fermentation under anaerobic conditions by using said mother starter in the presence of a daidzein species at pH 5.0 or higher, and (3) preparing a fermented material by fermentation by using said bulk starter in a medium containing soybean powder or soybean milk, enables production of a fermented material containing microorganisms in the state of living cells in which the equol production ability is maintained.

Abstract: A process for producing a potato product includes hermetically enclosing potatoes in a container having an average oxygen permeability of 5 cc/m2·day·atm or less, and heating the potatoes at 60 to 95° C., the potatoes being heated under conditions where dissolved oxygen content in the container becomes 5% O2 or less at least when heating is completed.

Abstract: There is disclosed a process for producing a lipoprotein-containing substance having a reduced lipid content. The lipid content is reduced by treating a lipoprotein-containing substance with at least one enzyme selected from the group consisting of proteolytic enzymes and lipolytic enzymes and then bringing the substance into contact with a sub- or supercritical fluid to extract a lipid from the substance. The lipid extracted from the substance is separated from the fluid which may be used again in the extraction step. Also disclosed is a food whose raw material is a lipoprotein-containing substance having a reduced lipid content obtained by the above process.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel nucleoside oxidase YT-1 serving as an enzyme for catalyzing oxidation reaction of a nucleoside, and oxidase being characterized in that the oxidase causes the nucleoside to react with molecular oxygen to produce a nucleoside-5'-carboxylic acid via a nucleoside-5'-aldehyde without producing hydrogen peroxide, a process for producing the enzyme, a novel microorganism having ability to produce the enzyme, and a novel analysis or assay method for nucleosides and the like utilizing the enzyme.