Disclosed are a yoghurt for regulating intestinal tract, preparation method therefor, and use thereof, where the yogurt is prepared from raw materials comprising the following parts by weight: 90-97 parts of raw milk, Lactobacillus gasseri of (0.7-5)×10.sup.8 CFU/100 g raw milk, Streptococcus thermophilus of (0.1-9)×10.sup.10 CFU/100 g raw milk, Lactobacillus bulgaricus of (0.1-9)×10.sup.10 CFU/100 g raw milk, Lactobacillus acidophilus of (0.5-7)×10.sup.8 CFU/100 g raw milk, Lactobacillus plantarum of (0.5-7)×10.sup.8 CFU/100 g raw milk, Lactobacillus paracasei of (0.1-9)×10.sup.7 CFU/100 g raw milk, and other probiotics, and prebiotics such as inulin. The yogurt may regulate the balance of intestinal flora and prevent constipation and gestational diabetes in overweight and/or obese pregnant women during the gestation period.

Aldehydes of formula (I) (X represents an alkyl or alkenyl group having up to 9 carbon atoms) for use in taste modulation and/or flavor compositions are provided. Specifically, the compounds of the presently disclosed subject matter provide effective and unexpected taste modulating properties. The taste modulation and/or flavor compositions can be incorporated into various consumer end products in particular in combination with high intensity sweeteners. ##STR00001##

A synergistic combination of butyric-acid-producing prebiotics and probiotics, which is used in the fields of foods, dietary supplements and drugs. Specifically, a composition containing probiotics and prebiotics, a food, dietary supplement or pharmaceutical preparation including the composition, and the use of the composition for alleviating and improving a disease or a discomfort, or reducing the occurrence of a disease or a discomfort, wherein the disease or discomfort is related to insufficient butyric acid in the intestine, or to insufficient butyric-acid-producing microorganisms in the intestine. A method for promoting Bifidobacterium lactis HNO19 to produce butyric acid, the method including using a galactooligosaccharide and lactulose as carbon sources for the cultivation of Bifidobacterium lactis HNO19, wherein the weight ratio of the galactooligosaccharide to lactulose is 1:1 to 4:1.

Using a method for producing fermented milk containing an oligosaccharide and a lactic acid bacterium as a living bacterium that cultures the lactic acid bacterium in a medium containing the oligosaccharide and fermented milk produced by the production method, a high viable bacterial count can be maintained even during long-term preservation in the fermented milk containing the oligosaccharide and the lactic acid bacterium as a living bacterium.

The present invention relates generally to a lipid component that comprises a subset of milk lipids and that can confer on a composition an attribute conferred by a mammal-produced milk or milk fat. The present invention further provides methods for producing such lipid component. The present invention further relates to compositions that comprise such lipid component, and methods for producing the same.

The present disclosure generally relates to the use of certain compounds, such as anthocyanins, saponins, or combinations thereof, at low concentrations to improve the aqueous solubility of flavonoid compounds. Thus, in certain aspects, the disclosure provides aqueous compositions including flavonoid compounds, such as naringenin or phloretin, and one or more compounds selected rom anthocyanin compounds, saponins, and combinations thereof. In related aspects, the disclosure provides methods and uses of certain compounds, such as anthocyanins, saponins, or combinations thereof, to enhance the aqueous solubility of flavonoid compounds. In related aspects, the disclosure provides methods to maintain the stability of a supersaturated aqueous solution of flavonoid compounds, for example, by increasing the kinetic stability of such supersaturated aqueous solutions. In some further embodiments of the foregoing aspects, the aqueous compositions are used to make flavored articles, such as beverage or dairy products, that contain concentration of surfactants, co-solvents, hydrotropes, or complexing agents below the typical taste-affecting thresholds in humans.

A method for producing a carbonated yogurt drink, according to one aspect, includes mixing Greek yogurt in the range of 40 to 75 parts; liquid milk in the range of 60 to 25 parts; and fruit puree in the range of 0 to 15 parts to create a yogurt emulsion. The yogurt emulsion is transferred to a pressurizable vessel and dry ice of approximately 0.5% by weight of the yogurt emulsion is added to the vessel. The vessel is sealed and refrigerated for up to seven days during which the CO.sub.2 is absorbed by the yogurt emulsion. The pressurizable vessel may be, for example, an aluminum drink can or other suitable pressurized beverage container.

A liquid edible dip that includes a first lactose-based composition, a second lactose-based composition, at least one spice, and a cucumber extract based bitter-blocking agent that can block the bitter tastes present in certain edible foods. The cucumber extract based bitter-blocking agent can modify, reduce, or block the bitter taste present in some edible foods. The first lactose-based composition may be a strained yogurt and the second lactose-based composition may be an evaporated milk powder.

A flavour composition comprising a compound according to the formula (I) 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 liquid edible dip that includes a first lactose-based composition, a second lactose-based composition, at least one spice, and a cucumber extract based bitter-blocking agent that can block the bitter tastes present in certain edible foods. The cucumber extract based bitter-blocking agent can modify, reduce, or block the bitter taste present in some edible foods. The first lactose-based composition may be a strained yogurt and the second lactose-based composition may be an evaporated milk powder.