An object of this disclosure is to provide a technique capable of suppressing decrease and deterioration of flavor and/or texture of a cereal processed food product over time after production as well as maintaining the flavor and/or the texture of the cereal processed food product. This disclosure further provides a technique capable of maintaining the flavor and/or the texture of a freshly made cereal processed food product even if the products are stored at room temperature or under a chilled state for a long period of time. This disclosure provides an improver for cereal processed food product containing maltol as a component (A) and at least one component selected from 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural, dimethyl sulfide, and 3-methylbutanal as a component (B).

Methods and systems for selectively applying a treatment to a plant item is provided. The method may include conveying, in an industrial processing line, at least one plant item in the batch of plant items to a sensing region having one or more sensors, assessing, with the one or more sensors and a computing device, one or more properties of the at least one plant item associated with ripeness and/or another attribute, conveying the at least one plant item to a treatment region, determining a treatment to apply to the at least one plant item based on the assessed one or more properties; and applying, in the treatment region, the treatment to the at least one plant item.

The present invention aims to provide a Thermo-Acidophilic Bacilli inhibitor, a method of preventing contamination by Thermo-Acidophilic Bacilli, and a beverage, which utilize as an active ingredient a substance having the effect of inhibiting the growth of Thermo-Acidophilic Bacilli. The present invention relates to a Thermo-Acidophilic Bacilli inhibitor containing xanthohumol as an active ingredient, a method of preventing contamination by Thermo-Acidophilic Bacilli using the same, and a beverage containing the same.

The present invention aims to provide a Thermo-Acidophilic Bacilli inhibitor, a method of preventing contamination by Thermo-Acidophilic Bacilli, and a beverage, which utilize as an active ingredient a substance having the effect of inhibiting the growth of Thermo-Acidophilic Bacilli. The present invention relates to a Thermo-Acidophilic Bacilli inhibitor containing xanthohumol as an active ingredient, a method of preventing contamination by Thermo-Acidophilic Bacilli using the same, and a beverage containing the same.

Disclosed are embodiments of a composition including propanoic acid, a C.sub.4 acid salt, and a component selected from a C.sub.2-C.sub.5 acid ester and a C.sub.2-C.sub.8 aldehyde and combinations thereof. The composition is provided in an aqueous medium. Each of the propanoic acid and the C.sub.4 acid salt are independently present in an amount at least partially sufficient to provide to said composition a pH greater than about 4.4.

Disclosed are embodiments of a composition including propanoic acid, a C.sub.4 acid salt, and a component selected from a C.sub.2-C.sub.5 acid ester and a C.sub.2-C.sub.8 aldehyde and combinations thereof. The composition is provided in an aqueous medium. Each of the propanoic acid and the C.sub.4 acid salt are independently present in an amount at least partially sufficient to provide to said composition a pH greater than about 4.4.

The present inventors disclose new fermentate compositions that display antimicrobial activity against a variety of microorganisms in foods. The fermentate compositions may not only be active at acidic pHs, but also retain antimicrobial activity at elevated pHs including neutral pHs. In addition to new fermentate compositions, the present invention also relates to improved methods for making such fermentate compositions and using unpurified fermentate compositions to effectively preserve food products.

The present inventors disclose new fermentate compositions that display antimicrobial activity against a variety of microorganisms in foods. The fermentate compositions may not only be active at acidic pHs, but also retain antimicrobial activity at elevated pHs including neutral pHs. In addition to new fermentate compositions, the present invention also relates to improved methods for making such fermentate compositions and using unpurified fermentate compositions to effectively preserve food products.

The present invention aims to provide a growth inhibitor for microorganisms, a method of preventing contamination by microorganisms, and, a beverage, each of which utilizes as an active ingredient a thermally stable substance having antibacterial action against various microorganisms. The present invention relates to a growth inhibitor for microorganisms containing isoxanthohumol as an active ingredient, a method of preventing contamination by microorganisms using the same, and a beverage containing the same.

The present invention aims to provide a growth inhibitor for microorganisms, a method of preventing contamination by microorganisms, and, a beverage, each of which utilizes as an active ingredient a thermally stable substance having antibacterial action against various microorganisms. The present invention relates to a growth inhibitor for microorganisms containing isoxanthohumol as an active ingredient, a method of preventing contamination by microorganisms using the same, and a beverage containing the same.