Kikkoman Shoyu Co., Ltd.

Hiroshi Sugimoto

Tamotsu Yokotsuka

Shigetaka Ishii

Shinichi Sugiyama

Hiroyuki Takeuchi

Keiichi Kiho

A novel pectin esterase which randomly hydrolyzes the methyl ester bond of pectin can be obtained by cultivating, on a medium, a mold strain belonging to Genus Aspergillus, Genus Penicillium, Genus Fusarium or Genus Sclerotinia and having an ability to produce said novel pectin esterase. A demethoxylated pectin having a uniform methoxyl group content can be obtained by adding said novel pectin esterase to pectin. The demethoxylated pectin thus obtained can be utilized as gelling agent, emulsifier or thickener for food processing.

Novel pectin esterase, process for its production, and process for

Yeasts are autolyzed to produce yeast extracts by adding sodium chloride and ethanol to active yeasts so as to make their concentrations 2 to 10 % (W/V) and 1 to 9 % (V/V) of the total volume of the autolytic reaction system respectively and thereafter subjecting said yeasts to autolysis. The thus obtained yeast extracts have a good flavour and palatability.

Growing community of inventors

Noda, Japan

Hiroshi Sugimoto