A composition of matter for dental plaque removal comprising at least one of a strain of the bacteria Bacillus licheniformis and the extracellular enzymes produced by B. licheniformis, and at least one of a natural and synthetic polymer, are disclosed. A method of manufacturing an animal chew or food item coated with the disclosed composition of matter, and animal chews or food items produced therefrom, are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to allergy field. Several independent groups have recently investigated the implication of PCSK9 on inflammation and sepsis but none of them have determine its impact on allergies and/or asthma which is a global health burden. Inventors have obtained preliminary data on wild-type (PCSK9+/+) or PCSK9-deficient mice (PCSK9 −/−) and shown that, under basal condition and in the absence of a particular stimulus, PCSK9 deficiency significantly increases the percentage of regulatory T cells in the spleen, the mesenteric lymph nodes and Peyer's patches. Moreover, inventors have shown the effect of allergic challenge Non primary human bronchial epithelial cells on PCSK9 expression and secretion. Very interestingly, their first results obtained by Q-PCR showed that HDM and LPS increase PCSK9 mRNA levels. Accordingly, the present invention relates to inhibitors of PCSK9 for use in the treatment of asthma and/or allergic disease, such as food allergy.

A composition of matter for dental plaque removal comprising at least one of a strain of the bacteria Bacillus licheniformis and the extracellular enzymes produced by B. licheniformis, and at least one of a natural and synthetic polymer, are disclosed. A method of manufacturing an animal chew or food item coated with the disclosed composition of matter, and animal chews or food items produced therefrom, are also disclosed.

A method of producing natto includes inoculating a mutant strain of Bacillus subtilis var. natto onto steamed or boiled soybeans, and fermenting the soybeans inoculated with the mutant strain by maintaining a temperature of the soybeans at 40 C. to 53 C. The number of the mutant strain spores after fermenting the soybeans is 510.sup.5 or less spores per gram of the fermented soybeans. A single colony of the mutant strain cultured in a selective solid medium supplemented with biotin at a gas phase temperature of 49 C. for 48 hours has a region having a hue of yellow (Y), a value of 9 or more, and a chroma of 2 or less, as defined by the Munsell Color System, and a surface area of the region is 20% or less of the total surface area of the single colony.

A method of producing natto includes inoculating a mutant strain of Bacillus subtilis var. natto onto steamed or boiled soybeans, and fermenting the soybeans inoculated with the mutant strain by maintaining a temperature of the soybeans at 40 C. to 53 C. The number of the mutant strain spores after fermenting the soybeans is 510.sup.5 or less spores per gram of the fermented soybeans. A single colony of the mutant strain cultured in a selective solid medium supplemented with biotin at a gas phase temperature of 49 C. for 48 hours has a region having a hue of yellow (Y), a value of 9 or more, and a chroma of 2 or less, as defined by the Munsell Color System, and a surface area of the region is 20% or less of the total surface area of the single colony.

Methods for measuring protease activity in feed and kits comprising components for measuring protease activity in feed.

The present invention relates to the allergy field. Several independent groups have recently investigated the implication of PCSK9 on inflammation and sepsis but none of them have determined its impact on allergies and/or asthma which is a global health burden. Inventors have obtained preliminary data on wild-type (PCSK9+/+) or PCSK9-deficient mice (PCSK9/) and shown that, under basal condition and in the absence of a particular stimulus, PCSK9 deficiency significantly increases the percentage of regulatory T cells in the spleen, the mesenteric lymph nodes and Peyer's patches. Moreover, inventors have shown the effect of allergic challenge on primary human bronchial epithelial cells on PCSK9 expression and secretion. Very interestingly, their first results obtained by Q-PCR showed that HDM and LPS increase PCSK9 mRNA levels. Accordingly, the present invention relates to inhibitors of PCSK9 for use in the treatment of asthma and/or allergic disease, such as food allergy.