The present invention provides means for reducing the culture medium odor of a beverage resulting from lactic acid bacteria while maintaining the clean sensation of the beverage, for a beverage containing a lactic acid bacterium powder and a high-intensity sweetener. The beverage according to the present invention contains a lactic acid bacterium powder, a high-intensity sweetener, 10 to 5000 ppb of nootkatone and 2.5 to 2000 ppb of linalool. It is preferable that the mass ratio of linalool and nootkatone be nootkatone/linalool=1 to 1000.

An object of the present invention is to provide a low-saccharide squeezed carrot juice and a concentrate thereof as well as low-saccharide carrot-containing vegetable beverage and carrot-containing vegetable fruit beverage, in which natural carrot aroma/taste has been achieved. The present invention provides a low-saccharide squeezed carrot juice and a concentrate thereof, each comprising either or both of a fructooligosaccharide and an inulin. The present invention also provides low-saccharide carrot-containing vegetable beverage and carrot-containing vegetable fruit beverage, each comprising either or both of a fructooligosaccharide and an inulin.

An object of the present invention is to provide a low-saccharide squeezed carrot juice and a concentrate thereof as well as low-saccharide carrot-containing vegetable beverage and carrot-containing vegetable fruit beverage, in which natural carrot aroma/taste has been achieved. The present invention provides a low-saccharide squeezed carrot juice and a concentrate thereof, each comprising either or both of a fructooligosaccharide and an inulin. The present invention also provides low-saccharide carrot-containing vegetable beverage and carrot-containing vegetable fruit beverage, each comprising either or both of a fructooligosaccharide and an inulin.

Described herein is a sugar-depleted fruit or vegetable juice product, wherein said juice product is a fruit or vegetable juice or juice-retaining fruit or vegetable derived matter, wherein said juice product contains at least about 5 g/l gluconic acid and said juice product contains any two or three, of (i) at least about 0.5 g/l Ca.sup.2+, (ii) at least about 1 g/l K.sup.+, and (iii) at least about 0.1 g/l Mg.sup.2+. Also provided are methods of producing the same and the use thereof to assist in maintaining the health and well-being of a subject and in the treatment and prevention of medical ailments, specifically those associated with the over-consumption of glucose and/or sucrose or inappropriate metabolism of glucose, e.g. metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus type II, obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, hypertension and liver steatosis.

Described herein is a sugar-depleted fruit or vegetable juice product, wherein said juice product is a fruit or vegetable juice or juice-retaining fruit or vegetable derived matter, wherein said juice product contains at least about 5 g/l gluconic acid and said juice product contains any two or three, of (i) at least about 0.5 g/l Ca.sup.2+, (ii) at least about 1 g/l K.sup.+, and (iii) at least about 0.1 g/l Mg.sup.2+. Also provided are methods of producing the same and the use thereof to assist in maintaining the health and well-being of a subject and in the treatment and prevention of medical ailments, specifically those associated with the over-consumption of glucose and/or sucrose or inappropriate metabolism of glucose, e.g. metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus type II, obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, hypertension and liver steatosis.

A reduced calorie nutrient enriched food product is produced by converting sucrose to monosaccharides and by selectively separating high molecular weight nutrients and sucrose in a food product such as a juice. The sucrose may be converted to non-digestible oligosaccharides. The process may also include separating a feed juice into a solids-rich fraction and a clarified juice fraction; treating the clarified juice fraction to form a high molecular weight-rich and oligosaccharide-rich fraction that can be combined with the solids-rich fraction to form a reduced calorie nutrient enriched liquid.

A reduced calorie nutrient enriched food product is produced by converting sucrose to monosaccharides and by selectively separating high molecular weight nutrients and sucrose in a food product such as a juice. The sucrose may be converted to non-digestible oligosaccharides. The process may also include separating a feed juice into a solids-rich fraction and a clarified juice fraction; treating the clarified juice fraction to form a high molecular weight-rich and oligosaccharide-rich fraction that can be combined with the solids-rich fraction to form a reduced calorie nutrient enriched liquid.

A process for preparing a liquid food product comprising obtaining an oat flour by milling peeled oat grain; mixing the oat flour with water to obtain mixture B; adding at least one glycosidase and heating to a maximum of 80 C., obtaining mixture C comprising a liquid portion containing particles in suspension and a precipitating portion; lowering the temperature of mixture C to a maximum of 30 C. and adding a combination of at least a protease, a deamidase and a transglutaminase to obtain mixture D; incubating mixture D; and separation of the liquid portion and the precipitating portion of mixture D; or separation of the liquid portion and the precipitating portion of mixture C; lowering the temperature of the liquid portion to a maximum of 2 C. and adding at least a protease, a deamidase and a transglutaminase to obtain liquid portion D; and incubating liquid portion D.

A process for preparing a liquid food product comprising obtaining an oat flour by milling peeled oat grain; mixing the oat flour with water to obtain mixture B; adding at least one glycosidase and heating to a maximum of 80 C., obtaining mixture C comprising a liquid portion containing particles in suspension and a precipitating portion; lowering the temperature of mixture C to a maximum of 30 C. and adding a combination of at least a protease, a deamidase and a transglutaminase to obtain mixture D; incubating mixture D; and separation of the liquid portion and the precipitating portion of mixture D; or separation of the liquid portion and the precipitating portion of mixture C; lowering the temperature of the liquid portion to a maximum of 2 C. and adding at least a protease, a deamidase and a transglutaminase to obtain liquid portion D; and incubating liquid portion D.

Variants of mannanase, compositions including the variants, to methods for their production and to methods of using the variants to degrade and modify mannan containing material.