The present invention relates to an extract obtained by extracting useful components containing equal from an equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl, and to a method for producing the same. The present invention makes it possible to efficiently obtain useful components containing equol from the fermented soybean hypocotyl by subjecting an equol-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl to extraction using an ethanol aqueous solution as an extractant. The present invention reduces the content of saponin, which causes an unpleasant taste, by sequentially subjecting the equal-containing fermented soybean hypocotyl to extraction using an ethanol aqueous solution and ethanol, while efficiently extracting equol and glycitein.

A novel substance which adds body to a food product, and a body-adding agent for food products that uses said substance are provided. More specifically, the body adding agent for food products is characterized by having as an active component a peptide, or a salt thereof, that is characterized in that the -glutamyl bond number is 2-4 and the peptide chain length is the -glutamyl bond number +1 to +2, a food product manufacturing method that uses said peptide, and a method for adding body to a food product, characterized by adding said peptide are provided.

A consumable comprising an ingredient or ingredients that cause an off-taste in the consumable, and a chlorogenic acid provided in a concentration sufficient to mask or modify the off-taste. The chlorogenic acid may be supplied as an extract from a botanical source obtained by extraction at 30-80 C. with water and/or a polar organic solvent. The method of making an off-taste by addition of a chlorogenic acid to a consumable is also claimed.

A flavour composition comprising a compound according to the formula (I) ##STR00001##
and edible salts thereof, 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 m is 0 or 1.

Provided are a lactic acid bacterium for a lactic acid bacterium-fermented soybean foodstuff, which takes a short fermentation time even when applied to a soybean raw material and has a wide optimal temperature range, and hence can cause curdling in a short period of time even at low temperature, thus being extremely suited for fermentation of the soybean raw material, a lactic acid bacterium-fermented soybean foodstuff comprising the lactic acid bacterium, and a production method for a lactic acid bacterium-fermented soybean foodstuff. The lactic acid bacterium-fermented soybean foodstuff comprises a lactic acid bacterium belonging to Streptococcus thermophilus and having an accession number of NITE BP-02207. The lactic acid bacterium-fermented soybean foodstuff of the present invention is preferably a soybean yogurt lactic acid bacterium-fermented soybean foodstuff.

The present invention relates to a soybean-derived composition, wherein a content of lipids as a chloroform/methanol mixed solvent extract is 40% by mass or more based on dry matter, and wherein the composition is substantially free of -conglycinin.

Methods and compositions for producing proteins such as growth factors, antibodies, or other therapeutic proteins in legumes. The present invention also features medical materials comprising legume material from a transgenic legume and a recombinant protein produced by the transgenic legume. The material may be a bandage, gauze, an injectable composition, or the like. The material may further comprise other elements such as non-active plant elements, synthetic elements, or medications. Soybean plants may be non-allergenic soybean plants.

A consumable comprising an ingredient or ingredients that cause an off-taste in the consumable, and a chlorogenic acid provided in a concentration sufficient to mask or modify the off-taste. The chlorogenic acid may be supplied as an extract from a botanical source obtained by extraction at 30-80 C. with water and/or a polar organic solvent. The method of making an off-taste by addition of a chlorogenic acid to a consumable is also claimed.

Disclosed are sweetened consumables and methods of forming said sweetened consumables that comprise certain sweeteners and a compound of formula (1),

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1 is selected from the group consisting of OH and OCH.sub.3, and R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of H and OH, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 comprise at least one OH group, and when R.sup.1 is OH then R.sup.2 is H (trilobatin), and when R.sup.1 is OCH.sub.3 then R.sup.2 is OH (HDG), in a concentration near its sweetness detection threshold. The sweeteners include sucrose, fructose, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, xylose, arabinose, rhamnose, erythritol, xylitol, mannitol, sorbitol, inositol, acesulfame potassium, aspartame, neotame, sucralose, saccharine, or combinations thereof.

Algal flour and algal biomass are disclosed. Food compositions comprising algal biomass or algal flour with a high lipid content are disclosed.