Ajinomoto Co., Ltd.

Masanori Kohmura

Yoichi Ueda

Yasushi Nishimura

Hidehiko Wakabayashi

Hirokazu Kawaguchi

Takeshi Iwasaki

Yuji Kato

Hiroaki Nishiuchi

Naohiro Miyamura

Motonaka Kuroda

Mika Uda

Reiko Sugimoto

Minori Ishiguro, Legal Representative

Tatsuya Ishiguro, Legal Representative

Shouji Ishiguro, Legal Representative

Youhei Ishiguro, Legal Representative

Koh-ichiro Sano

Gaku Hibino

Glycopeptides and peptides having the formula: where X represents a hydrogen atom or a sugar chain, provide a taste improving function, particularly a kokumi taste imparting function. Such glycopeptides and peptides may be used to impart the kokumi taste to foods or seasonings and to improve the kokumi taste in foods with the use of seasonings that contain such glycopeptides and peptides.

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In the present application are disclosed a method for enhancing or improving the flavor of foods or drinks in general with the use of a non-volatile thiazolidine compound alone or a non-volatile flavor compound and/or a reaction flavor concurrently with the non-volatile thiazolidine compound, a simple and effective method for improving the flavor of a retort food by suppressing the flavor-deterioration upon heat sterilization or the unpleasant odor at the time of eating, and a simple and effective method for improving the flavor of a soybean-incorporated food product by suppressing the unpleasant, weed-like odor peculiar to soybean.

Composition for retaining and developing the flavor of a food or drink

The present invention relates to a method for producing a cysteine-rich food material by maintaining a food material containing &#x3b3;-glutamylcysteine at a ratio of at least 1 wt % to the solid content thereof at a temperature ranging from 50 to 120&#xb0; C. and at a pH ranging from 1 to 7. This process is conducted in the absence of a sugar and in the presence of water. The present invention also relates to a method for producing a cysteine-rich food material by reacting the food material with a &#x3b3;-glutamyl peptide hydrolase at a pH ranging from 3 to 9 and at a temperature ranging from 15 to 70&#xb0; C. in the present of water. Further, the present invention relates to a method for producing a flavor-enhancing material for use in food, food products obtained by these processes, and yeast cells or extracts for use in food products.

Process for producing a flavor-enhancing material for foods

Disclosed in this application are a method for producing a food material containing cysteinylglycine at a high content, which comprises the step of (a) maintaining a starting food material containing glutathione in a ratio of 1% by weight or more based on the solid content at a temperature of 50 to 120&#xb0; C. and a pH of 1 to 7 in the presence of water, or (b) treating the food material with a &#x3b3;-glutamylpeptide hydrolase at a temperature of 15 to 70&#xb0; C. and a pH of 3 to 9 in the presence of water, whereby a food material rich in cysteinylglycine is allowed to result, as well as a method for producing a food flavor (or savor) enhancer, which comprises the steps of (a) adding a sugar to cysteinylglycine or a food material containing cysteinylglycine in a ratio of 0.5% by weight or more based on the solid content, and (b) heating the resulting mixture at a temperature of 70 to 180&#xb0; C. for a period of 10 to 180 minutes in the presence of water, whereby a natural food material containing crysteinylglycine at a high content, and therefore, a food savor enhancer rich in cysteinylglycine, can be easily provided.

Process for producing cysteinylglycine-enriched food material and process for producing flavor-enhancing agent

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Kawasaki, Japan

Masanori Kohmura