A spore-forming Bacillus species, and more particularly, a Bacillus subtilis strain identified as MB40 is provided. Compositions comprising the MB40 strain, methods of making products comprising the same, and methods of using the same are also provided.

A spore-forming Bacillus species, and more particularly, a Bacillus subtilis strain identified as MB40 is provided. Compositions comprising the MB40 strain, methods of making products comprising the same, and methods of using the same are also provided.

A method for preparing a nutritional multi-supplement complex, the method comprising: (i) preparing a dispersion of spheroidal polysaccharide-stabilized complexes comprising a water-soluble polysaccharide and at least one water-soluble nutritional supplement in an aqueous medium, wherein the water-soluble polysaccharide and water-soluble nutritional supplement are complexed with each other by ionic interactions in the spheroidal polysaccharide-stabilized complexes; (ii) preparing an oil-supplement solution comprising at least one oil-soluble nutritional supplement dissolved in a food grade oil; and (iii) blending the dispersion of spheroidal polysaccharide-stabilized complexes with the oil-supplement solution to produce the nutritional multi-supplement complex, wherein the nutritional multi-supplement complex comprises droplets of the oil-supplement solution encapsulated by the spheroidal polysaccharide-stabilized complexes. Also described herein are the produced multi-supplement complex, beverages and foods containing the complex, tea bags containing the complex, and capsules and tablets containing the complex.

A method for preparing a nutritional multi-supplement complex, the method comprising: (i) preparing a dispersion of spheroidal polysaccharide-stabilized complexes comprising a water-soluble polysaccharide and at least one water-soluble nutritional supplement in an aqueous medium, wherein the water-soluble polysaccharide and water-soluble nutritional supplement are complexed with each other by ionic interactions in the spheroidal polysaccharide-stabilized complexes; (ii) preparing an oil-supplement solution comprising at least one oil-soluble nutritional supplement dissolved in a food grade oil; and (iii) blending the dispersion of spheroidal polysaccharide-stabilized complexes with the oil-supplement solution to produce the nutritional multi-supplement complex, wherein the nutritional multi-supplement complex comprises droplets of the oil-supplement solution encapsulated by the spheroidal polysaccharide-stabilized complexes. Also described herein are the produced multi-supplement complex, beverages and foods containing the complex, tea bags containing the complex, and capsules and tablets containing the complex.

Tea polymerized polyphenol-containing beverages having reduced bitterness and astringency of tea polymerized polyphenols while maintaining tea-like preferable flavors, methods of production thereof, and the like are provided. The content of tea polymerized polyphenols in a beverage is adjusted to within a certain range, the total content of RebM and RebD in the beverage is adjusted to within a certain range, and the weight ratio of the total content of RebD and RebM to the content of the tea polymerized polyphenols is adjusted to within a certain range.

Tea polymerized polyphenol-containing beverages having reduced bitterness and astringency of tea polymerized polyphenols while maintaining tea-like preferable flavors, methods of production thereof, and the like are provided. The content of tea polymerized polyphenols in a beverage is adjusted to within a certain range, the total content of RebM and RebD in the beverage is adjusted to within a certain range, and the weight ratio of the total content of RebD and RebM to the content of the tea polymerized polyphenols is adjusted to within a certain range.

Included in the present invention are a method for preparing tealeaf extracts having different tastes, and a beverage prepared using extracts made by the method. The method involves adding tealeaves to an extraction column, performing continuous extraction using water at 5 C.-140 C. at a flow rate of 20-200 mL/min, collecting liquid extracts in sections, and drawing a relative taste intensity curve; and according to a taste variation shown in the relative taste intensity curve, recombining collected liquid extracts of different sections. The method of the present invention can produce tealeaf extracts having high grade taste and high concentration without the need for a concentration step, the extraction yield is high, and the sensory attributes of the tealeaf extracts can be rebalanced in a very flexible manner, so as to obtain beverages of different tastes.

Included in the present invention are a method for preparing tealeaf extracts having different tastes, and a beverage prepared using extracts made by the method. The method involves adding tealeaves to an extraction column, performing continuous extraction using water at 5 C.-140 C. at a flow rate of 20-200 mL/min, collecting liquid extracts in sections, and drawing a relative taste intensity curve; and according to a taste variation shown in the relative taste intensity curve, recombining collected liquid extracts of different sections. The method of the present invention can produce tealeaf extracts having high grade taste and high concentration without the need for a concentration step, the extraction yield is high, and the sensory attributes of the tealeaf extracts can be rebalanced in a very flexible manner, so as to obtain beverages of different tastes.

A method of producing a beverage concentrate including contacting a plant material and/or plant extract with hot water to produce a beverage, wherein the concentration of the plant material and/or plant extract in the hot water is at least 100 grams per litre. The method further includes filtering the beverage to produce a filtrate, and producing a microbiologically stable beverage concentrate from the beverage or the beverage filtrate.

Beverages having an improvement in continuity of aftertaste caused by Rebaudioside D (RebD) and Rebaudioside M (RebM) and methods of production thereof. A content (A) of catechin compound(s) in beverages is adjusted to within a certain range, a total content (B) of RebM and/or RebD in beverages is adjusted to within a certain range, and B/A is adjusted to within a certain range.