Provided herein are purified hemicellulose compositions, sweetener compositions including purified hemicellulose compositions, as well as methods for making the same. Also provided are uses of the compositions.

Disclosed are specialized flour for nutrition meals for diabetes and a preparation method and use thereof. The flour is based on cereal meal as a basic material and is added to a defatted soybean vegetable protein powder and a soybean tissue isolated dietary fiber power, wherein in the dry flour base, the content of protein is 20-26 weight %, the content of the dietary fiber is 4-10 weight %, the content of carbohydrate is no more than 65 weight %, and the content of fat is no more than 4% of the weight. The method comprises physically mixing the cereal meal, the defatted soybean vegetable protein powder and the soybean tissue isolated dietary fiber power under atmospheric pressure. Food and semi-finished products made from the flour are used for preventing and/or treating diabetes.

Hyper-branched maltodextrins having a dextrose equivalent (DE) between at least 8 and at most 15 and a molecular weight or Mw between at least 1,700 and at most 3,000 daltons, characterized in that same have: a 1,6 glucoside bond content between at least 30 and at most 45%; a soluble indigestible fiber content, which is determined according to the AOAC No. 2001-03 method, between at least 75 and at most 100%; and a hypoglycemic capacity expressed according to a test A, which:—in vitro, results in an 80 to 90% reduction of the α-amylase hydrolysis of standard maltodextrins, and—in situ, by a 30 to 45% reduction in the intestinal digestive activity of standard maltodextrins.

Hyper-branched maltodextrins having a dextrose equivalent (DE) between at least 8 and at most 15 and a molecular weight or Mw between at least 1,700 and at most 3,000 daltons, characterized in that same have: a 1,6 glucoside bond content between at least 30 and at most 45%; a soluble indigestible fiber content, which is determined according to the AOAC No. 2001-03 method, between at least 75 and at most 100%; and a hypoglycemic capacity expressed according to a test A, which:—in vitro, results in an 80 to 90% reduction of the α-amylase hydrolysis of standard maltodextrins, and—in situ, by a 30 to 45% reduction in the intestinal digestive activity of standard maltodextrins.

The present invention provides a sirtuin activator with an active component composed of black ginger or a black ginger extract, which is easily obtainable, extremely safe, and eaten from old. The present invention further provides a sirtuin activator with an active component of polyalkoxyflavonoid compound represented by general formula (I) and having a sirtuin activation effect that is 10 folds that of resveratrol or higher: ##STR00001## wherein, R.sub.1 to R.sub.7 are each independently a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, or a C1 to C6 lower alkoxy group.

The present invention provides a sirtuin activator with an active component composed of black ginger or a black ginger extract, which is easily obtainable, extremely safe, and eaten from old. The present invention further provides a sirtuin activator with an active component of polyalkoxyflavonoid compound represented by general formula (I) and having a sirtuin activation effect that is 10 folds that of resveratrol or higher: ##STR00001## wherein, R.sub.1 to R.sub.7 are each independently a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, or a C1 to C6 lower alkoxy group.

An object of the present invention is to provide a useful composition that contains a highly safe lactic acid bacterium or a component derived from this lactic acid bacterium. The present invention relates to a composition comprising at least one lactic acid bacterium selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis strain KR-037 (NITE BP-395), Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis strain KLAB-4 (NITE BP-394), and variants thereof, or comprising a component derived from the lactic acid bacterium. The composition of the present invention is useful as a preparation that has an excellent antiallergic function and also has at least one other function selected from an anti-autoimmune disease function, a diabetes-improving function, a neutral fat-lowering function, and so forth.

An object of the present invention is to provide a useful composition that contains a highly safe lactic acid bacterium or a component derived from this lactic acid bacterium. The present invention relates to a composition comprising at least one lactic acid bacterium selected from the group consisting of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis strain KR-037 (NITE BP-395), Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis strain KLAB-4 (NITE BP-394), and variants thereof, or comprising a component derived from the lactic acid bacterium. The composition of the present invention is useful as a preparation that has an excellent antiallergic function and also has at least one other function selected from an anti-autoimmune disease function, a diabetes-improving function, a neutral fat-lowering function, and so forth.

The invention relates to a feed additive comprising at least one nutrient, which non-nutrient is incorporated in a matrix, the entirety being encapsulated by a coating comprising at least a plant material whose saponification number is greater than 180.

The invention also deals with a method for preparing a feed additive.

Finally, the invention also relates to the use of the feed additive to improve the zootechnical performance of a ruminant.

The invention relates to a feed additive comprising at least one nutrient, which non-nutrient is incorporated in a matrix, the entirety being encapsulated by a coating comprising at least a plant material whose saponification number is greater than 180.

The invention also deals with a method for preparing a feed additive.

Finally, the invention also relates to the use of the feed additive to improve the zootechnical performance of a ruminant.