Provided are preparation and use of novel compounds available as main ingredients of a composition for promoting hair growth, wherein the novel compounds are 9-deoxo-31-O-demethyl-prolyl-FK506, 9-deoxo-36,37-dihydro-FK506, 31-O-demethyl-36,37-dihydro-FK506, 9-deoxo-31-O-demethyl-36,37-dihydro-FK506, 9-deoxo-FK520, 31-O-demethyl-FK520, 9-deoxo-31-O-demethyl-FK520, 9-deoxo-FK523, and 9-deoxo-31-O-demethyl-FK523.

The present invention relates to a composition for skin whitening, and more particularly, to a topical preparation, cosmetic or health functional food composition for skin whitening, which includes carvedilol as an active ingredient. The composition of the present invention, which includes carvedilol as an active ingredient, exhibits a whitening effect by suppressing the expression of a melanin synthesis gene by reducing MITF through inhibition of CREB phosphorylation in normal human melanocytes (NHMs), and gradually weakens cell tyrosinase activity over time, lowering the risk of a side effect of pigmentation. Therefore, the composition is expected to be effectively used in development of materials for cosmetics and health functional food and related industries in safe and effective ways.

Food distributed to consumers through a distribution chain may be traced by tagging the food with DNA tags that identify the origin of the food, such as the grower, packer and other points of distribution, and their attributes. This makes it much quicker and easier to trace the food in case of food contamination or adulteration. Preferably these attributes indicate the field, location, crew and machine used to grow and process the food, and the dates of the various steps of food harvesting, processing and distribution. Natural or synthetic DNA pieces may be used to tag items, including food items. Multidigit binary or other types of bar codes may be represented by multiple types of DNA. Each digit of the bar code may be represented by one, two or more unique DNA pieces.

Dietary-fiber containing noodles contain wheat flour, indigestible dextrin serving as dietary fiber, and a fulvic acid mineral seasoning liquid. The fulvic acid mineral seasoning liquid contains vinegar, fulvic acid, calcium, mineral salt, and trehalose. Dietary-fiber containing soup stock contains water, indigestible dextrin serving as dietary fiber, and a fulvic acid mineral seasoning liquid. Since the fulvic acid mineral seasoning liquid is contained, the dissolution of the indigestible dextrin is suppressed even without the use of modified starch and, further, qualities such as deliciousness, color, eating texture, and flavor are maintained.

A process for providing phycocyanin from a blue-green algae biomass comprising the steps of forming a slurry of blue-green algae by mechanically mixing the blue-green algae in water to break up filaments of the biomass and incubating the macerated slurry in a container with at least a 1% flocculating agent for a period of time sufficient to separate a blue extract from the slurry. The blue extract is separated and filtered through a filter to obtain a blue filtrate and the blue filtrate is mixed in a container with an ammonium sulfate precipitate for a suitable period of time to obtain supernatant protein separation. The supernatant is syphoned from the container and the settled participate is centrifuged at a rpm ranging from about 3500 rpm to about 4500 rpm for a sufficient time to produce phycocyanin precipitate. The phycocyanin precipitate is spray dried to form a phycocyanin powder which is collected and purified with a citrate and water mixture to obtain a supernatant and phycocyanin residue with the phycocyanin residue being redissolved in water and sprayed to dry into a phycocyanin powder.

Methods for producing a mycelium-based food are disclosed herein. An aerial mycelium may be cultivated and processed into one or more aerial mycelium segments. The aerial mycelium segments may be placed in a vacuum tumbler and processed into the mycelium-based food. In some embodiments, processing may involve boiling the aerial mycelium segments, flavoring the aerial mycelium segments, and drying the aerial mycelium segments all within the vacuum tumbler.

Proposed are preparations, comprising special amides and menthol or menthol compounds or aromatic substances, characterized in that they have improved flavor and scent properties, and also that they allow the production of preparations, particularly emulsions with improved shelf life.

N-[N-[3-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)propyl]-L--aspartyl]-L-phenylalanine is useful for improving the taste quality of a food, drink or pharmaceutical product.

High-protein food additives are prepared by reacting a protein material with L-cysteine, or a derivative thereof, with homogenization and heating. The homogenization and heating is preferably carried out on an aqueously slurry of the protein material and L-cysteine. The homogenized and reacted slurry is then dried to form a powder. The resultant food additive may be incorporated into a wide variety of food products to enhance the physical characteristics thereof.

Provided are a pharmaceutical composition for preventing or treating metabolic diseases and a health food for alleviating metabolic diseases, each of which the pharmaceutical composition and the health food includes, a stereoisomer of isonitramine or a derivative thereof, or a racemic mixture of the stereoisomers, wherein such a compound exhibits effects of inhibiting fat content or differentiation of an adipocyte, inhibiting activity of a carbohydrate metabolism enzyme, protecting pancreas, inhibiting blood sugar, and promoting insulin secretion, and thus can be favorably utilized in the treatment of metabolic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia.