Reduction inhibitory agent for active oxygen eliminating activity

Abstract

A reduction inhibitory agent for active oxygen eliminating activity comprises trehalose as an active ingredient. This agent can be incorporated into plant edible products and/or plant antioxidants.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A reduction inhibitory agent for active oxygen eliminating activity comprising an effective amount of trehalose as an active ingredient.  
     
     
         2 . The inhibitory agent according to  claim 1  which further contains a saccharide other than trehalose.  
     
     
         3 . The inhibitory agent according to  claim 1  which further contains pullulan, cyclodextrin, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The inhibitory agent according to  claim 1  in which the trehalose is present in an amount of at least 20 w/w % of said agent, on a dry solid basis.  
     
     
         5 . A composition obtained by incorporating the inhibitory agent of  claim 1  into a plant substance with active oxygen eliminating activity to inhibit the reduction of said activity.  
     
     
         6 . The composition according to  claim 5  wherein said plant substance is a plant edible substance, a plant antioxidant, or mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         7 . The composition according to  claim 6  wherein said plant edible substance is at least one of an organ and a tissue of an edible plant, or a sliced, disrupted, pulverized, dried, pickled, or extracted edible part of said plant.  
     
     
         8 . The composition according to  claim 6  wherein said plant antioxidant is a member of the group consisting of plant enzymes, pigments, polyphenols, and vitamins.  
     
     
         9 . The composition according to  claim 5  which contains at least about 1 w/w %, on a dry solid basis, of trehalose as an active ingredient.  
     
     
         10 . The composition according to  claim 5  wherein the trehalose is present in an amorphous or crystalline hydrous form.  
     
     
         11 . The composition according to  claim 5  which contains at least one member selected from the group consisting of essential minerals, edible fibers, saccharides which promote the growth of bifid bacteria, vitamins, and biologically active substances.  
     
     
         12 . The composition according to  claim 5  which has been sterilized or dried or sterilized and dried.  
     
     
         13 . The composition according to  claim 5  wherein has an active oxygen eliminating activity of at least five units/g or compositions, on a dry solid basis, as determined by the nitroblue tetrazolium test.  
     
     
         14 . The composition according to  claim 5  which is in the form of a food product, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, or components or intermediates thereof.  
     
     
         15 . A composition comprising the composition of  claim 5  and a food, cosmetic, or pharmaceutical.  
     
     
         16 . A composition comprising at least about 30 w/w % of trehalose on a dry solid basis, and edible plant tissue.  
     
     
         17 . The composition according to  claim 16  wherein said edible plant tissue is selected from the group consisting of organs and tissues of an edible plant, and sliced and picked products thereof and the trehalose is in an amorphous or crystalline hydrous form.  
     
     
         18 . The composition according to  claim 16  which has been sterilized, dried, or sterilized and dried.  
     
     
         19 . The composition according to  claim 16  which is in the form of a solid food product.  
     
     
         20 . The composition according to  claim 19  wherein said solid food product has satisfactory mouth feel.