The purpose of the present invention is to provide an organism having an ergothioneine productivity that is capable of easily producing ergothioneine within a short period of time at a high yield, as compared with a conventional technology, and, therefore, enables ergothioneine production on an industrial scale. This purpose can be achieved by a transformed fungus into which a gene encoding enzyme (1) or genes encoding enzymes (1) and (2) have been inserted and in which the inserted gene(s) are overexpressed. (1) an enzyme catalyzing a reaction of synthesizing hercynyl cysteine sulfoxide from histidine and cysteine in the presence of S-adenosyl methionine, iron (II) and oxygen. (2) An enzyme catalyzing a reaction of synthesizing ergothioneine from hercynyl cysteine sulfoxide using pyridoxal 5′-phosphate as a coenzyme.

A method for producing a secreted β-galactosidase, characterized by integrating a non-secreted β-galactosidase gene derived from a basidiomycetous yeast into Aspergillus oryzae to produce a secreted β-galactosidase, and a method for producing a galactooligosaccharide using a β-galactosidase produced by the method facilitate the production of a galactooligosaccharide.

Provided are an Aspergillus oryzae LGYM4 strain; a red ginseng fermentation product including the strain or a fermentation product thereof: a food composition, a cosmetic composition, a quasi-drug composition, and a pharmaceutical composition, each including the red ginseng fermentation product; a method of preparing the red ginseng fermentation product, the method including the step of performing a fermentation by inoculating the strain into a composition including red ginseng; a red ginseng fermentation product prepared according to the preparation method; and a food composition, a cosmetic composition, a quasi-drug composition, and a pharmaceutical composition, each including the prepared red ginseng fermentation product.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a practical means of producing cysteine from glutathione that is also suitable for use in the field of foods. Cysteine is produced from glutathione by a first step of producing cysteinylglycine by the action of a γ-glutamyl peptidase derived from a microorganism on reduced glutathione; and a second step of producing cysteine by the action of an acid protease derived from a microorganism on the cysteinylglycine.

A method for making a flavour modifying ingredient, the method comprising subjecting a dietary fibre to enzymatic hydrolysis and/or fermentation; flavour modifying ingredients obtainable by said method; flavour compositions and food products comprises said flavour modifying ingredient; uses of said flavour modifying ingredient.

Provided are an Aspergillus oryzae BLCY-006 strain and an application thereof in the preparation of a galactooligosaccharide. The strain produces β-galactosidase, and the enzyme activity can reach 300 U/ml after culturing and fermentation, which is more than 50% higher than traditional β-galactosidase activity. The enzyme also has lactose and glucose resistance properties.

The present invention relates to ready-to-eat and ready-to-drink products and methods of making the same. The present invention further relates to a method for making a flavour modifying ingredient, the method comprising subjecting a dietary fibre and/or other edible component of a cereal to enzymatic hydrolysis and/or fermentation; flavour modifying ingredients obtainable by said method; flavour compositions and food products comprises said flavour modifying ingredient; uses of said flavour modifying ingredient.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for producing selenoneine that allows production of selenoneine at higher yields as compared with a conventional technology, and, therefore, enables selenoneine production on an industrial scale. This purpose can be achieved by a method for producing selenoneine, comprising the step of applying histidine and a selenium compound to a transformant that has a gene encoding an enzyme of (1) below introduced therein and that can overexpress the introduced gene, to obtain selenoneine.

(1) An enzyme that catalyzes a reaction in which hercynylselenocysteine is produced from histidine and selenocysteine in the presence of S-adenosylmethionine and iron (II).

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for producing selenoneine that allows production of selenoneine at higher yields as compared with a conventional technology, and, therefore, enables selenoneine production on an industrial scale. This purpose can be achieved by a method for producing selenoneine, comprising the step of applying histidine and a selenium compound to a transformant that has a gene encoding an enzyme of (1) below introduced therein and that can overexpress the introduced gene, to obtain selenoneine. (1) An enzyme that catalyzes a reaction in which hercynylselenocysteine is produced from histidine and selenocysteine in the presence of S-adenosylmethionine and iron (II).

Provided is a mutant filamentous fungus, which lacks expression of α-1,3-glucan, and is deficient in at least part of a GAG biosynthetic cluster. Also provided is a method of producing a substance, including the steps of: culturing the filamentous fungus to allow the filamentous fungus to produce a substance; and collecting the resulting substance.