Abstract: A process for producing a preservative having anti-oxidant and anti-bacterial action comprises steps of: preparing a starting material selected from the group consisting of herb family spices, residues obtained after the recovery of essential oils from herb family spices, oleoresins extracted from herb family spices with a polar solvent, and oleoresins extracted from herb family spices with a non-polar solvent and associated residues; subjecting the starting material to extraction with a solvent mixture of polar and non-polar solvents, the ratio by volume of the polar solvent to the non-polar solvent ranging from 2:98 to 50:50; and recovering an extractive to obtain a preservative by distilling off the solvents from said extractive.

Abstract: Fried foods are produced by adding an antioxidant to a frying oil and then frying a desired food stuff therein at 100.degree.-250.degree. C. The antioxidant is obtained by subjecting a starting material, selected from the group consisting of herb family spices, residues obtained after the recovery of essential oils from herb family spices, oleoresins obtained from the extraction of herb family spices with a polar solvent, and oleoresins and extracted residues obtained from the extraction of herb family spices with a non-polar solvent, to an extraction treatment with a polar solvent to obtain an extract, decoloring the extract with an adsorbent, concentrating the extract after separation of the adsorbent, forming an aqueous dispersion from the concentrate, steam distilling the aqueous dispersion to produce a steam distilled residue and recovering an insoluble part from the steam distilled residue.

Abstract: A novel antimicrobial agent is proposed which is effective for preventing growth of microorganisms belonging not only to bacteria but also to Eumycetes in foodstuffs, cosmetics, medicines and the like. The inventive antimicrobial agent contains 2',6'-dihydroxy-9-(2,5-dihydroxyphenyl) octylphenone as the effective ingredient thereof and its effectiveness is exhibited in a concentration level of from 0.0001 to 1% by weight as the phenone compound in the foodstuff etc. Different from conventional synthetic antimicrobial agents used in foodstuffs and the like, the inventive antimicrobial agent is absolutely free from the problem of safety when taken into human body in any large amounts since the phenone compound as the effective ingredient thereof is a product of natural origin and can be obtained from mace by extraction.

Abstract: Oxidation of foodstuff is prevented by admixing with the foodstuff 2',6'-dihydroxy-9-(2,5-dihydroxyphenyl)-octylphenone.