JP2005348729A - Drinking water - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a drinking water capable of continuously being drunk in a sense similar to that of water and excellent in constipation-improving effect and dried skin and sensitive skin-improving effects, particularly a drinking water put in a PET bottle container which injured persons and patients needing care can readily carry and which does not cause breakage even when dropping it, excellent in constipation-improving effect and dried skin and sensitive skin-improving effects. <P>SOLUTION: This drinking water, particularly that put in the PET bottle container comprises 0.1-5 mass% xylooligosaccharide composition composed of a neutral xylooligosaccharide mixture having 4-11 average polymerization degree and/or an acidic xylooligosaccharide mixture having one or more uronic acid residues per mole and having 4-15 average polymerization degree. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to drinking water excellent in constipation improving effect, dry skin and sensitive skin improving effect, and relates to potable drinking water suitable for use in hospitals, nursing homes, and the like, particularly drinking water in PET bottles.

  In recent years, along with the increase in adult diseases and aging, health drinks and soft drinks with added functionality for the purpose of preventing and improving various diseases have been developed. Beverages aimed at improving constipation include health drinks (see Patent Document 1) mixed with xylooligosaccharides, vitamins, beef peptides and the like, and soft drinks (see Patent Document 2) containing indigestible dextrins. It has been reported. However, when it is assumed that it is ingested continuously in the same way as water in a day, since the former is a mixture of multiple components, there are concerns about the effects on the human body due to components that are not suitable for overdose, In the latter case, depending on the person, the stomach may become swollen and continuous intake may not be easy.

In recent years, dry skin has increased in elderly people because natural moisturizing factors, ceramide, and the like contained in the skin decrease with age. In addition, an increasing number of women become sensitive skin due to the effects of hormonal balance and dry skin at the change of season. In dry skin and sensitive skin, the stratum corneum of the skin is destroyed, so that germs, allergens, etc. enter the skin and cause inflammation. Various cosmetics have been developed to improve dry skin and sensitive skin, but symptoms may be exacerbated by ingredients contained in the cosmetic. Although trehalose and its derivatives have been reported as components having an action to improve dry skin, they are intended for use as external preparations, and no effect on internal use is described (see Patent Document 3).
JP 2002-272430 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-164272 JP 2000-226320 A

In recent years, in hospitals, nursing homes and other medical institutions, constipation caused by patients and elderly people lying in bed for a long time has become a major problem, so they can be drunk continuously with the same feeling as water. Drinking water having an excellent constipation improving effect is desired. In addition, when a patient or a sick person drinks drinking water, drinking water contained in a plastic bottle container that is easy to hold instead of a paper container or bottle and does not break even if dropped is desired. In addition, cosmetics developed to improve dry skin and sensitive skin are directly applied to the skin, so some people may cause allergies depending on the ingredients of the cosmetics. Drinking water is desired.
An object of the present invention is to provide a potable drinking water, particularly a PET bottle, which is highly safe for the human body and excellent in constipation improving effect, dry skin and sensitive skin improving effect and can be continuously drunk with the same feeling as water. It is to provide drinking water.

  As a result of intensive studies to solve the above problems, the present inventors have found that drinking water containing a xylooligosaccharide composition (neutral xylo-oligosaccharide, acidic xylo-oligosaccharide) having a specific average degree of polymerization is excellent in improving constipation. It has been found that drinking water containing acidic xylo-oligosaccharide exhibits an effect of improving dry skin and sensitive skin. Furthermore, the xylo-oligosaccharide composition has an extremely low sweetness compared to other oligosaccharides and has no acidity. Therefore, when it is contained in drinking water within the range where the effect is obtained, it can be drunk in the same manner as normal water. It has been found that there is a merit that it is possible to complete the present invention. The present invention includes the following inventions.

(1) A xylo-oligosaccharide composition comprising a neutral xylo-oligosaccharide mixture having an average polymerization degree of 4 to 11 and / or an acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture having an average polymerization degree of 4 to 15 having one or more uronic acid residues per molecule. Drinking water characterized by containing 0.1-5 mass% of things.

(2) The neutral xylo-oligosaccharide mixture and / or the acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture has a total content of xylose component, xylobiose component and xylotriose component in each mixture of 10 to 30% by mass in each xylooligosaccharide mixture. The drinking water according to item (1), wherein the drinking water is present.

(3) The acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture contains an acidic xylo-oligosaccharide having at least one uronic acid residue selected from glucuronic acid residues and 4-o-methylglucuronic acid residues as side chains in one molecule. The drinking water as described in the item (1) or (2).

(4) Oligo obtained by subjecting the xylooligosaccharide composition to an acid hydrolysis treatment of a complex of an oligosaccharide mixture obtained by enzymatically and / or physicochemically treating a lignocellulose material and a lignin component The drinking water according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the drinking water contains at least one kind of sugar mixture.

(5) The neutral xylo-oligosaccharide mixture and the acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture are obtained by acid hydrolysis of the oligosaccharide mixture and / or the lignin component complex obtained by enzymatically and / or physicochemically treating the lignocellulose material. Each oligo obtained by separating a neutral xylo-oligosaccharide fraction and an acidic xylo-oligosaccharide fraction having at least one uronic acid residue in one molecule as a side chain from the oligosaccharide mixture obtained by treatment The drinking water according to any one of items (1) to (4), comprising a sugar mixture.

(6) Drinking water with a polyester bottle formed by filling the drinking water according to any one of (1) to (5).

(7) The drinking water containing a polyester bottle according to (6), wherein the bottle body and / or its packaging material displays an effect of improving constipation, dry skin and sensitive skin.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION By this invention, the safety | security with respect to a human body is high, and the drinking water excellent in the constipation improvement effect, the dry skin, and the sensitive skin improvement effect, especially the drinking water with a polyester bottle are provided.

  Hereinafter, although the drinking water of this invention is explained in full detail, this invention is not limited by the following description.

The drinking water containing the xylo-oligosaccharide composition of the present invention contains a neutral xylo-oligosaccharide mixture and / or an acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture described below as an active ingredient.
The neutral xylooligosaccharide mixture used in the present invention is a mixture of xylose and a xylose polymer having a polymerization degree of 2 to 15, and an average polymerization degree of 4 to 11. If the average degree of polymerization of the neutral xylo-oligosaccharide exceeds 11, it is not preferable because precipitation occurs when added to drinking water and refrigerated. Further, the total amount of xylose, xylobiose and xylotriose in the neutral oligosaccharide is preferably 10 to 30% by mass in the total xylooligosaccharide. The reason is that if there are too many oligosaccharides with a high degree of polymerization, they may precipitate depending on the conditions when refrigerated, whereas the total of xylose, xylobiose and xylotriose is present in the above ratio Is that precipitation does not easily occur.

  As the acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture used in the present invention, a mixture of acidic xylo-oligosaccharide having a uronic acid residue in the molecule can be used. Uronic acid is known in nature as a component of a polysaccharide having various physiological activities such as pectin, pectinic acid, alginic acid, hyaluronic acid, heparin, chondroitin sulfate, and deltaman sulfate. The acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture of the present invention is not particularly limited, but preferably has a glucuronic acid residue or a 4-o-methyl-glucuronic acid residue as a uronic acid residue.

  The acidic xylooligosaccharide mixture used in the present invention is a mixture of a xylose component and an oligosaccharide having a degree of polymerization of about 2 to 20 and an average degree of polymerization of 4 to 15. Each component in the acidic xylooligosaccharide mixture has one or more uronic acid residues in the molecule. The acidic xylo-oligosaccharide has a higher intestinal regulating effect when the degree of polymerization is higher, so the average degree of polymerization of the acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture needs to be 4 or more. However, those having an average degree of polymerization exceeding 15 are expensive because they are difficult to produce and can only be produced in small quantities, and the average degree of polymerization is preferably in the range of 8-15.

  If the above xylo-oligosaccharide composition can be obtained, the manufacturing method will not be specifically limited, For example, the following manufacturing methods are mentioned.

(1) A method of extracting xylan from wood and decomposing it enzymatically (see Cellulase Research Group, Cellulase Research Group Vol. 16, published on June 14, 2001, p17-26).

(2) A method in which a lignocellulose material is treated enzymatically and / or physicochemically to obtain a complex of a xylooligosaccharide component and a lignin component, and then the complex is subjected to an acid hydrolysis treatment to obtain a xylooligosaccharide mixture.

(3) A method of further separating acidic xylo-oligosaccharide having at least one uronic acid residue as a side chain in one molecule from the xylo-oligosaccharide mixture obtained by the method of (2).
Among the above-mentioned methods, in particular, the methods (2) and (3) are in the range of 2 to 15 mer, and a neutral and acidic xylooligosaccharide mixture having a relatively high degree of polymerization is produced in large quantities at low cost. Is preferable in that it is possible. The outline of the methods (2) and (3) is shown below.

The xylo-oligosaccharide composition can be obtained through a hydrolysis step, a concentration step, a dilute acid treatment step, and a purification step using a lignocellulosic material derived from chemical pulp as a raw material.
In the hydrolysis process, xylan in lignocellulose is selectively hydrolyzed by dilute acid treatment, high-temperature and high-pressure steam (cooking / explosion) treatment, or hemicellulase, and a high molecular weight complex composed of xylooligosaccharide and lignin is intermediated. Get as a body.

  In the concentration step, the xylo-oligosaccharide-lignin-like substance complex is concentrated by a reverse osmosis membrane or the like, so that low-polymerization degree xylo-oligosaccharide components, low-molecular impurities, and the like can be removed. In the concentration step, a reverse osmosis membrane is preferably used, but ultrafiltration membrane, salting out, dialysis and the like are also possible.

  A lignin-like substance is released from the complex by the diluted acid treatment step from the obtained concentrated solution, and a diluted acid-treated solution containing a long-chain xylo-oligosaccharide component is obtained. At this time, the lignin-like substance separated from the complex condenses and precipitates under acidic conditions and can be removed by filtration using a ceramic filter or filter paper. In the dilute acid treatment step, acid hydrolysis is preferably used, but enzymatic degradation using lignin degrading enzyme or the like is also possible.

  The purification process includes an ultrafiltration process, a decolorization process, and an adsorption process. Some lignin-like substances remain in the solution as soluble polymers, but are removed by an ultrafiltration process, and most of impurities such as coloring substances are removed by a decolorization process using activated carbon. In the ultrafiltration step, an ultrafiltration membrane is preferably used, but reverse osmosis membrane, salting out, dialysis and the like are also possible.

In the sugar solution thus obtained, the neutral xylo-oligosaccharide used in the present invention and the acidic xylo-oligosaccharide having an acidic sugar side chain such as uronic acid in the xylo-oligosaccharide molecule are dissolved. From this sugar solution, a neutral xylo-oligosaccharide fraction and an acidic xylo-oligosaccharide fraction can be separated by the following method by an adsorption step using an ion exchange resin.
First, the sugar solution is treated with a strong cation exchange resin to remove metal ions in the sugar solution. Next, sulfate ions and the like in the sugar solution are removed using a strong anion exchange resin. In this step, a part of the organic acid, which is a weak acid, and a colored component are removed simultaneously with the removal of sulfate ions.
The sugar solution treated with the strong anion exchange resin is treated again with the strong cation exchange resin to further remove the metal ions.

Finally, it is treated with a weak anion exchange resin to adsorb the acidic xylo-oligosaccharide fraction to the resin, and only the neutral xylo-oligosaccharide fraction is recovered. The acidic oligosaccharide fraction adsorbed on the resin is eluted with a low-concentration salt (NaCl, CaCl ₂ , KCl, MgCl _2, etc.), thereby obtaining an acidic xylooligosaccharide solution free from impurities.
By subjecting these solutions to, for example, spray drying or freeze-drying treatment, white neutral xylo-oligosaccharide mixture powder and acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture powder can be obtained.

  A neutral xylo-oligosaccharide mixture and / or an acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture produced by the above method is dissolved in drinking water such as normal water, pure water, mineral water, etc. to prepare drinking water. The prepared xylooligosaccharide-containing drinking water can be used by being filled in a polyester bottle. The size of the bottle to be used is not particularly limited, but a 250 to 500 ml container is preferable from the viewpoint of ease of holding.

In order for the drinking water containing neutral xylo-oligosaccharide of the present invention to be a drinking water that exhibits constipation improving effect, drinking water containing acidic xylo-oligosaccharide exhibits constipation improving effect, dry skin and sensitive skin improving effect, The content of the composition needs to be 0.1% to 5.0% by mass, preferably 0.2 to 1.0% by mass.
Drinking water bottles are convenient for distribution to hospitalized patients at hospitals, for example, because if you drink one bottle a day, you will not forget to drink or drink too much. Since the recommended daily intake of xylooligosaccharide is 0.5 to 5 g, it is preferable that the amount of xylooligosaccharide is 0.5 to 5 g in one bottle.
The number of bottles required per day for improving constipation or improving dry skin or sensitive skin is preferably displayed on the bottle according to age, sex, physical condition, and the like.

  The xylo-oligosaccharide-containing drinking water of the present invention can contain optional components used by adding to general drinking water. Examples of the optional component include a pH adjuster and an antioxidant.

  EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto. An outline of each measuring method and a preparation example of a long-chain xylo-oligosaccharide as an active ingredient in the drinking water of the present invention are as follows.

<Measurement method>
(1) Quantification of total sugar amount: For the total sugar amount, a calibration curve was prepared using D-xylose (manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd .: product number 244-00302), and the phenol-sulfuric acid method ("Reducing Sugar Determination Method" Quantified at the Publishing Center Publishing).

(2) Quantification of the amount of reducing sugar: The amount of reducing sugar was prepared using a calibration curve of D-xylose (manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd .: product number 244-00302), and the Sommoji-Nelson method (“Reducing Sugar Determination Method” Society). Quantified at the Publishing Center Publishing).

(3) Determination method of average degree of polymerization: The sample sugar solution is kept at 50 ° C. and centrifuged at 15000 rpm for 15 minutes to remove insoluble matters. The total amount of sugar in the supernatant was divided by the amount of reducing sugar (both converted to xylose) to determine the average degree of polymerization.

(4) Analysis by ion chromatography: Ion chromatography (Dionex) was used for the analysis of xylooligosaccharides. For the analysis, CarboPacPA-10 (Dionex) was used as a column suitable for the analysis of saccharides.

<Manufacture of xylooligosaccharides>
The xylo-oligosaccharide composition used in each example was manufactured according to the following manufacturing method.

(Enzyme treatment process)
Using unmixed hardwood chips consisting of 70% by mass of domestic hardwood chips and 30% by mass of eucalyptus wood as raw materials, unbleached pulp manufactured by a factory having a copper number of 20.1 and a pulp viscosity of 41 cps was obtained by kraft cooking. Subsequently, oxygen delignification was performed to obtain an oxygen delignified pulp having a copper number of 9.6 and a pulp viscosity of 25.1 cps. After washing the pulp, the pulp concentration is adjusted to 10%, diluted sulfuric acid is added to adjust the pH to 8, and then the Bacillus sp. S-2113 strain (incorporated administrative agency, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Depositary Strain FERM BP) -5264) produced xylanase was added to 1 unit / g of pulp and treated at 60 ° C. for 120 minutes. After the treatment, it was filtered through a 100-mesh filter cloth to separate pulp residues and the like to obtain a 1050 liter treatment solution (3900 g as the total sugar amount) containing a total sugar concentration of 3700 mg / l. Subsequently, it was concentrated 40 times by volume using an NF membrane (Nitto Denko: NTR-7450, membrane quality: sulfonated polyethersulfone, salt rejection 50%). This concentrated solution had a total sugar amount of 2700 g, and the total sugar recovery rate was 70%.

(Acid hydrolysis treatment process)
To 1,000 ml of the concentrated sugar solution obtained in the above step, sulfuric acid was added to adjust the pH to 3.5, and then this concentrated sugar solution was reacted at 121 ° C. for 1 hour. As a result of analyzing the reaction product by ion chromatography using a column for ion chromatography (Dionex: PA-10), a polymerization degree distribution as shown in Table 1 (in Table 1, X1 is xylose, and X2 to X13 are xylose). It was found to contain a xylo-oligosaccharide mixture (mainly dimer to 10-mer).

(Purification / separation process of xylooligosaccharide mixture)
A sugar solution (117 mg / ml) of a xylo-oligosaccharide mixture prepared in the acid hydrolysis treatment step, 1.2 g as a total sugar amount, was charged with a strongly acidic ion exchange resin (Rohm and Haas: Amberlite 200C). The column (inner diameter 36 mm, length 150 mm) was loaded. After collecting the xylo-oligosaccharide passing through the column, a load 58 is applied to the same column packed with a weakly basic ion exchange resin (Rohm and Haas: IRA67). After concentration, the xylo-oligosaccharide obtained through the column was decolorized by adding 80 mg of activated carbon (manufactured by Wako Pure Chemicals: product number 037-02115) to the xylo-oligosaccharide solution and stirring at 60 ° C. for 1 hour. After stirring, the activated carbon was filtered through a 0.22 μm membrane filter to obtain a purified xylooligosaccharide solution. The average degree of polymerization of the purified xylo-oligosaccharide mixture was measured by the following method, and the result was 5.0. Further, those having a degree of polymerization of 2 were 6.8% by mass, those having a degree of polymerization of 10.2% by mass, and those having a degree of polymerization of 4 to 11 were about 74.6% by mass in total. Although some having a polymerization degree of 12 or more exist, it was not an amount that could be accurately quantified. This xylooligosaccharide mixture is referred to as XN5 in the following examples.

  What was adsorbed on the weakly basic ion exchange resin column in the above-described neutral xylo-oligosaccharide purification / separation step was eluted by passing a 75 mM NaCl solution through the column. The eluate was spray-dried to obtain an acidic xylooligosaccharide mixture powder (total sugar amount 353 g, recovery rate 13.1%). Hereinafter, this acidic xylooligosaccharide mixture is referred to as UX10. According to the measurement method described above, UX10 was a mixture of acidic xylooligosaccharides having an average degree of polymerization of 10.3, a difference between the upper and lower limits of xylose chain length of 10, and one uronic acid residue per molecule of acidic xylooligosaccharide. It was.

(Measuring method)
(1) Quantification of total sugar content:
The total sugar amount was prepared by using a calibration curve using D-xylose (Wako Pure Chemical Industries) and quantified by the phenol-sulfuric acid method (reducing sugar quantification method; Academic Publishing Center).
(2) Quantification of reducing sugar content:
The amount of reducing sugar was prepared by using a calibration curve using D-xylose (Wako Pure Chemical Industries) and quantified by the Sommoji-Nelson method (reducing sugar quantification method; Academic Publishing Center).

(3) Method for determining the average degree of polymerization:
The sample sugar solution was kept at 50 ° C. and centrifuged at 15,000 rpm for 15 minutes to remove insoluble matter, and the total sugar amount in the supernatant was divided by the reducing sugar amount (both converted to xylose) to determine the average degree of polymerization.
(4) Determination of uronic acid content:
Uronic acid was prepared by using D-glucuronic acid (manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) with a calibration curve, and quantified by the carbazole sulfate method (quantitative method for reducing sugar, published by Academic Publishing Center).

  Next, in order to confirm the effect of the present invention, the following tests were conducted on the xylooligosaccharide composition comprising the above-produced neutral xylooligosaccharide mixture and acidic xylooligosaccharide mixture.

<Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1, 2>
Drinking water (in a plastic bottle) in which the neutral xylo-oligosaccharide mixture (XN5) of the present invention was dissolved was prepared, and the effect of improving constipation was examined by a human effect test.

Example 1
The neutral xylo-oligosaccharide mixture (XN5) was added to 0.1% by mass in pure water (500 ml), and then sterile filtered through a filter and filled into a 500 ml-capacity plastic bottle to obtain the drinking water of Example 1.

Example 2
The neutral xylo-oligosaccharide mixture (XN5) was contained in 1.0% by mass in pure water (500 ml), then sterile filtered through a filter, filled into a 500 ml PET bottle, and used as the drinking water of Example 2.

Example 3
The neutral xylo-oligosaccharide mixture (XN5) was contained in 5.0% by mass in pure water (500 ml), then sterile filtered through a filter, filled into a 500 ml PET bottle, and used as the drinking water of Example 3.

Comparative Example 1
Pure water (500 ml) containing no xylooligosaccharide was aseptically filtered through a filter and filled into a 500 ml PET bottle to obtain drinking water of Comparative Example 1.

Comparative Example 2
The neutral xylo-oligosaccharide mixture (XN5) was added to pure water (500 ml) in an amount of 0.01% by mass, filtered aseptically with a filter, and filled into a 500 ml PET bottle to obtain drinking water of Comparative Example 2.

About the drinking water produced in the said Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, the human effect test was done in the following ways.
250 people (male: 82 people, female: 168 people, age 18-64 years old) were divided into 5 groups of 50 people each so that the age and sex were as equal as possible. Each group was allowed to drink the drinking water (500 ml) of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 every day (30 days) per day, and a questionnaire survey was conducted after the test was completed.
A person who replied that “there was constipation improvement effect” was judged to have a difference in effect when the ratio of the number of people who answered “no improvement effect” was more than doubled. In addition, when the number of people who answered that “there was constipation improving effect” exceeded the number of people who answered that “it can be said neither”, it was judged that the effect of improving constipation was sufficiently exhibited. The results are shown in Table 2. As is clear from Table 2, it was evaluated that the drinking water of Examples 1 to 3 had a sufficient constipation improving effect. By including 0.1% by mass to 5.0% by mass of the xylooligosaccharide composition, a particularly remarkable constipation improving effect appears.

<Examples 4 to 6, Comparative Example 3>
Drinking water (in a PET bottle) in which the acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture (UX10) of the present invention was dissolved was prepared, and the effect of improving constipation was examined by a human effect test.

Comparative Example 3
The acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture (UX10) was added to pure water (500 ml) in an amount of 0.01% by mass, filtered aseptically with a filter, filled into a 500 ml plastic bottle, and used as drinking water of Comparative Example 3.

Example 4
The acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture (UX10) was added to pure water (500 ml) in an amount of 0.1% by mass, filtered aseptically with a filter, filled into a 500 ml PET bottle, and used as the drinking water of Example 4.

Example 5
The acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture (UX10) was contained in 1.0% by mass in pure water (500 ml), then sterile filtered through a filter, filled into a 500 ml PET bottle, and used as the drinking water of Example 5.

Example 6
The acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture (UX10) was added to pure water (500 ml) in an amount of 5% by mass, filtered aseptically with a filter, filled into a 500 ml PET bottle, and used as the drinking water of Example 6.

About the drinking water produced in the said Examples 4-6 and the comparative example 3, the human effect test was done in the following ways.
200 people (male: 62 people, female: 138 people, age 19-65 years old) were divided into 4 groups of 50 people each so that the age and sex were as equal as possible. Have each group drink 1 bottle of drinking water (500 ml) of Examples 4-6 and Comparative Example 3 daily (30 days), and perform the same test as in Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2 above. went. The results are shown in Table 3. As apparent from Table 3, it was evaluated that the drinking water of Examples 4 to 6 had a sufficient constipation improving effect. By including 0.1% by mass to 5.0% by mass of the xylooligosaccharide composition, a particularly remarkable constipation improving effect appears.

About the drinking water produced in the said Examples 4-6 and the comparative example 3, the human effect test was done in the following ways.
160 men and women with symptom of dry skin / sensitive skin (age 20-69 years) were divided into 4 groups of 40 people each so that their ages were as equal as possible. Each group was allowed to drink one bottle of drinking water (500 ml) of Examples 4 to 6 and Comparative Example 3 every day (30 days), and a questionnaire survey was conducted after the test was completed. A person who replied that “there was an effect of improving dry skin / sensitive skin” was judged to have a difference in effect when the ratio of the number of people who replied that “there was no improvement effect” was more than doubled. In addition, if the number of people who answered “There was a dry skin / sensitive skin improvement effect” exceeded the number of people who answered “I can't say either”, the dry skin / sensitive skin improvement effect appeared sufficiently. It was judged that The results are shown in Table 4. As apparent from Table 4, it was evaluated that the drinking water of Examples 4 to 6 had a sufficient dry skin / sensitive skin improvement effect. When the xylo-oligosaccharide composition is contained in an amount of 0.1% by mass to 5.0% by mass, a particularly remarkable dry skin / sensitive skin improving effect appears.

Example 7
<Stability test>
A 1% by mass aqueous solution of the xylooligosaccharide mixture (XN5, UX10) was prepared and stored at room temperature and 40 ° C. The aqueous xylooligosaccharide solution immediately after preparation and after storage for 1 month was analyzed by ion chromatogram. The chromatogram pattern of the sample after 1 month storage at room temperature and 40 ° C. did not change compared to the sample immediately after preparation. Moreover, the difference in the area of each peak in the chromatogram was less than 5% between the sample after 1 month storage and the sample immediately after preparation.

  If the drinking water containing the xylo-oligosaccharide composition (neutral xylo-oligosaccharide, acidic xylo-oligosaccharide) of the present invention is excellent only in constipation improving effect and the drinking water containing acidic xylo-oligosaccharide composition is excellent in dry skin and sensitive skin improving effect In addition, it is safe for the human body and does not affect the human body even if it is ingested in large quantities. It is also easy to drink and has excellent storage stability because it does not have a bad odor or taste, so it can be taken continuously for a long time. It can be used as a health drink in a bottle as well as a beverage for use in dry, dry skin and sensitive skin.

Claims (7)

  A xylo-oligosaccharide composition comprising a neutral xylo-oligosaccharide mixture having an average polymerization degree of 4 to 11 and / or an acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture having an average polymerization degree of 4 to 15 having one or more uronic acid residues per molecule is 0. Drinking water characterized by containing 0.1-5 mass%.   The neutral xylo-oligosaccharide mixture and / or the acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture is such that the total content of the xylose component, the xylobiose component and the xylotriose component in each mixture is 10 to 30% by mass in each xylooligosaccharide mixture. The drinking water according to claim 1, characterized in that:   The acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture contains an acidic xylo-oligosaccharide having at least one uronic acid residue selected from glucuronic acid residues and 4-o-methylglucuronic acid residues as side chains in one molecule. The drinking water according to claim 1 or 2.   The xylo-oligosaccharide composition is an oligosaccharide mixture obtained by subjecting a lignocellulosic material to an enzymatic hydrolysis and / or physicochemical treatment, and an oligosaccharide mixture obtained by subjecting a complex of a lignin component to an acid hydrolysis treatment. It contains at least 1 sort (s), Drinking water of any one of Claims 1-3 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The neutral xylo-oligosaccharide mixture and the acidic xylo-oligosaccharide mixture are obtained by subjecting an oligosaccharide mixture obtained by enzymatically and / or physicochemically treating a lignocellulose material and / or a complex of lignin components to an acid hydrolysis treatment. From each oligosaccharide mixture obtained by separating the neutral xylo-oligosaccharide fraction from the resulting oligosaccharide mixture and the acidic xylo-oligosaccharide fraction having at least one uronic acid residue in the molecule as a side chain The drinking water according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein   The drinking water with a polyester bottle formed by filling the drinking water of any one of the said Claims 1-5.   The drinking water containing a polyester bottle according to claim 6, wherein the bottle main body and / or the packaging material thereof displays an effect of improving constipation, dry skin and sensitive skin.