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.

A 5α-reductase inhibitor contains saw palmetto extract and seaberry extract as an active ingredient in a synergistic compounding ratio, wherein the compounding ratio by weight of the saw palmetto extract and the seaberry extract is 3:1˜2. The 5α-reductase inhibitor containing the saw palmetto extract and seaberry extract or just the seaberry extract as a 5α-reductase inhibitor can be administered to the human body in order to inhibit 5α-reductase. The 5α-reductase inhibitor is useful as a prostate enlargement inhibitor, an androgenic alopecia inhibitor, and an acne prevention and amelioration agent. The 5α-reductase inhibitor can be part of a food or drink composition or a cosmetic composition.

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 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.

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.

The invention describes products, uses thereof, compositions thereof, and methods to prepare products formed from Maillard reaction products from a sugar donor and/or sweet tea extracts, Stevia extracts, swingle (mogroside) extracts, one or more sweet tea extract components, one or more steviol glycosides, one or more mogrosides, one or more glycosylated sweet tea glycosides, one or more glycosylated steviol glycosides or one or more glycosylated mogrosides and an amine donor/reactant.