Provided is a metal material capable of optimizing a response of a fermentative microorganism, a method of controlling a response of a fermentative microorganism, and a method of producing a fermented food product. A metal material includes a crystal grain having an average crystal grain size for controlling a response of a fermentative microorganism. The average crystal grain size of the crystal grain is preferably 100 nm or more and 10 μm or less. The metal material is preferably stainless steel. It is preferable that the response of the fermentative microorganism is adsorption or growth of the fermentative microorganism on the metal material.

A flavour composition comprising a compound according to the formula (1) or edible salts thereof, ##STR00001##
wherein R.sub.1 is an alkyl residue containing 6 to 20 carbon atoms, or an alkene residue containing from 9 to 25 carbon atoms with 1 to 6 double bonds, R.sub.1 together with the carbonyl group to which it is attached is a residue of a carboxylic acid, and NR.sub.2R.sub.3, in which R.sub.3 is H or together with R.sub.2 and the N-atom to which they are attached, a 5-membered ring, is a residue of an amino acid, in particular a proteinogenic amino acid, ornithine, gamma-aminobutyric acid or beta alanine, or a 1-amino cycloalkyl carboxylic acid.

A flavour composition comprising a compound according to the formula (1) or edible salts thereof, ##STR00001##
wherein R.sub.1 is an alkyl residue containing 6 to 20 carbon atoms, or an alkene residue containing from 9 to 25 carbon atoms with 1 to 6 double bonds, R.sub.1 together with the carbonyl group to which it is attached is a residue of a carboxylic acid, and NR.sub.2R.sub.3, in which R.sub.3 is H or together with R.sub.2 and the N-atom to which they are attached, a 5-membered ring, is a residue of an amino acid, in particular a proteinogenic amino acid, ornithine, gamma-aminobutyric acid or beta alanine, or a 1-amino cycloalkyl carboxylic acid.

A MATZHU is prepared by using leaves of Gramineae (Graminae) and Bambusoideae plant as raw materials. The MATZHU has a stable emerald color and an average powder particle size of 800 to 10,000 meshes. The MATZHU also has a total amount of dietary fiber of ≥60%, a content of lignin of ≥20% and a content of minerals of ≥7%. The MATZHU includes at least three or more bamboo leaf characteristic components, such as orientin, isoorientin, vitexin, isovitexin, adenosine, δ-hydroxylysine and p-coumaric acid. The method for the MATZHU preparation includes, in turn, performing blanching and color protection, drying and superfine grinding the raw materials. By utilizing the thermal stability and the light stability of the MATZHU, the MATZHU may be used as a raw food material, a functional ingredient, or a dietary supplement.

Methods for manufacturing a powdered fermented paste, including the steps of: pretreating a fermented paste; freezing the pretreated fermented paste; freeze-drying the frozen fermented paste; grinding the freeze-dried fermented paste; and heat-drying the ground fermented paste.

Methods for manufacturing a powdered fermented paste, including the steps of: pretreating a fermented paste; freezing the pretreated fermented paste; freeze-drying the frozen fermented paste; grinding the freeze-dried fermented paste; and heat-drying the ground fermented paste.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing fish sauce using fermented soybean lump powder and fish sauce manufactured thereby. The fish sauce is manufactured according to the present invention which comprises: (S1) a step of mixing 0.5 to 10 weight % of fermented soybean lump powder with regard to the weight of fish sauce; (S2) a ripening step of fermenting a mixture of the fish sauce, fermented soybean lump powder, shiitake mushroom powder and starch powder for 7 to 70 days at 10 to 32° C.; and (S3) filtering the ripened fish sauce mixture to thereby remove sediment. By applying traditional Korean fermented foods, the fish sauce eliminates a peculiar smell which gives displeasure and a fishy smell of fish sauce, significantly enhances the flavor, thereby increasing savory taste, and thus can be harmonized with any dish and can be used for multiple purposes. In addition, sweet and salty tastes are also increased, while the flavor is enhanced. Accordingly, salinity is reduced so that sodium and sugar intake can be reduced, and thus it is expected that the fish sauce can be useful all over the world as well as in Korea.

Provided is a strain CCFM8631 of Lactobacillus reuteri and use thereof. The strain CCFM8631 of Lactobacillus reuteri can significantly increase neurotransmitter 5-hydroxytryptamine level in peripheral blood, recover the hormone levels, for example testosterone and so on in peripheral blood of rat, normalize abnormal abundances of Blautia genus and Turicibacter genus, Oscillospira genus and Bifidobacterium genus in intestinal flora of rat affected by high-fat high-starch diet, show good tolerance to simulated gastrointestinal fluid and quickly colonize in intestinal, significantly improve pathological damages of tissues such as liver, duodenum and so on, and increase triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in serum and oral glucose tolerance of rat with metabolic syndrome caused by high-fat high-starch diet. The strain CCFM8631 of Lactobacillus reuteri can be used for preventing, relieving or treating metabolic disorder, such as metabolic syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome and mental diseases related to metabolic syndrome such as anxiety, depression and so on.

The present invention provides intestinal flora-improving health food which improves intestinal flora by containing bittern to increase and activate Equol-producing bacteria. The intestinal flora-improving health food comprises 0.8 wt % to 1.5 wt % of bittern relative to the total weight of the health food, wherein the bittern per 100 g comprises 2500 mg to 6000 mg of magnesium content and 500 mg to 2000 mg of calcium content; wherein the proportion of magnesium content to calcium content in the bittern is 2 to 7, and wherein the hardness of the bittern is at 144000 mg/L to 383000 mg/L.

The present invention relates to a functional food composition using an anchovy processed product and a method of manufacturing the same. More specifically, the present invention comprises the steps of: preparing a raw material food composition including semi-dried anchovies and raw anchovies; salting the raw material food composition; fermenting the salted food composition under a certain condition; extracting effective ingredients from the fermented food composition; purifying the extracted effective ingredients; and freeze-drying the purified effective ingredients.