Composition for improving labor performance

Abstract

To provide a composition for improving labor performance.SOLUTION: A composition for improving labor performance contains fermented milk. The improved labor performance is achieved, preferably, by improved presenteeism. The composition may be for improving vitality. The fermented milk is preferably fermented milk of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition for use in enhancing work performance. [Background technology]

[0002] According to the World Health Organization, mental health is "a state of well-being in which an individual is able to fulfil his or her potential, cope with normal stresses, work productively, and contribute to his or her community" and does not simply mean the absence of mental illness.

[0003] The mental health of working people is not just a personal issue such as a sense of purpose in life or a sense of fulfillment, but is also known to have a large impact on workplace and corporate performance, resulting in a large impact in terms of labor losses. While absenteeism due to illness is an objective fact and easy to grasp, presenteeism, which is a labor loss caused by a decline in the ability of workers to perform their work, is difficult to grasp objectively, and the latter is considered to be a larger total loss, which has become a problem (Non-Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Non-patent literature]

[0004] [Non-Patent Document 1] FY2015 Healthy Life Extension Industry Creation Promotion Project Survey on Office Environments Contributing to Healthy Management Report on Healthy Management Offices (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) (URL: http: / / www.meti.go.jp / policy / mono_info_service / healthcare / downloadfiles / kenkokeieioffice_report.pdf) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] As far as the present inventors know, no food or drink containing lactic acid bacteria has been reported to improve workers' presenteeism and work performance. If such a food or drink could be provided, it would be advantageous because it would be possible to improve presenteeism and thus work performance by using the food or drink consumed daily.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a composition for improving work performance and an agent for improving work performance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to the present invention, the following inventions are provided. [1] A composition for improving work performance and a work performance improver comprising fermented milk. [2] The composition and agent described in [1] above, wherein the improvement in work performance is due to an improvement in presenteeism. [3] The composition and preparation described in [1] or [2] above for improving vitality. [4] A composition for enhancing vitality and an agent for enhancing vitality, comprising fermented milk. [5] The composition and preparation described in any one of [1] to [4] above, wherein the fermented milk is fermented milk in which Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis is the predominant bacterium. [6] Fermented milk can produce Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis at a concentration of 1 × 10 per gram of fermented milk. 9 The composition and preparation according to any one of the above [1] to [5], which comprises one or more of the above. [7] The daily intake of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis in humans is 1×10 8 ~1×10 14 The composition and agent according to [5] or [6] above, in which the fermented milk is ingested so as to achieve a single dose. [8] The composition or agent described in any one of [5] to [7] above, wherein the Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis is the JCM5805 strain. [9] The composition and agent described in any one of [1] to [8] above, wherein the fermented milk contains a fermentation aid.

[0008] The compositions of [1] and [4] above may be referred to herein as "the compositions of the present invention," and the preparations of [1] and [4] above may be referred to herein as "the preparations of the present invention."

[0009] The composition and preparation of the present invention contain fermented milk, which has been consumed by humans for many years, as an active ingredient. Therefore, the composition and preparation of the present invention are advantageous in that they can be consumed over a long period of time without worrying about side effects and can easily and reliably improve work performance using foods and beverages that are consumed daily. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the relationship between the Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM5805 strain and strains equivalent to said strain (strains derived from said strain and strains from which said strain is derived). [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 shows an outline of the test in Example 3. Description of the Invention

[0011] In the present invention, "fermented milk" means milk or milk containing an equivalent or greater amount of non-fat milk solids that has been fermented with lactic acid bacteria to form a paste or liquid, or these have been frozen, and is synonymous with "fermented milk."

[0012] In the present invention, "fermented milk" includes solid (standing type) yogurt (e.g., plain yogurt, yogurt imparted with palatability, solid yogurt imparted with palatability), solid (stirred type) yogurt (e.g., soft yogurt), liquid yogurt (e.g., drink yogurt), and frozen yogurt (e.g., frozen yogurt).

[0013] Plain yogurt is a solid, flavorless solid yogurt (hard yogurt) with no added sweeteners or flavorings. Palatable yogurt is solid yogurt (hard yogurt) with added sweeteners and flavorings to the ingredients to enhance its palatability. Palatable solid yogurt (flavored yogurt) is solid yogurt (hard yogurt) with added sweeteners and flavorings to the ingredients to enhance its palatability and with stabilizers such as agar or gelatin to make it less likely to crumble.

[0014] Soft yogurt is made by adding sweeteners and flavorings to plain yogurt to give it a palatable taste, and then mixing or stirring fruit (e.g., fruit pulp), fruit juice, vegetables, vegetable juice, etc. into a fluid form.

[0015] Drinkable yogurt is made by pulverizing plain yogurt or yogurt that has been given a palatable taste by adding sweeteners, flavors, etc., using a homogenizer or the like to make it into a drinkable liquid form.

[0016] Frozen yogurt is made from plain yogurt or yogurt that has been given a palatable taste by adding sweeteners, flavors, etc., and is produced in a manner similar to that used for ice cream.

[0017] In the present invention, the "fermented milk" preferably contains 8.0% or more of non-fat milk solids.

[0018] In the present invention, "fermented milk" refers to milk or the like fermented with lactic acid bacteria, and may contain lactic acid bacteria. In the present invention, "fermented milk" refers to milk or the like fermented with lactic acid bacteria at a concentration of 1×10 7 10 or more, preferably 1×10 8 10 or more, more preferably 1×10 9 It may include more than one.

[0019] The number of lactic acid bacteria can be measured by a known method for evaluating lactic acid bacteria. For example, the number of bacteria can be evaluated by counting the number of colonies in a plate culture using BL medium. In this case, the strain to be evaluated is cultured at the optimal temperature. For example, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM5805 strain can be cultured at about 30°C for 3 days.

[0020] The composition and preparation of the present invention may be provided solely in the form of fermented milk, which is the active ingredient, or may be provided in the form of a mixture of fermented milk, which is the active ingredient, with other ingredients (e.g., formulation additives). The amount of fermented milk in the composition and preparation of the present invention may be determined arbitrarily depending on the purpose, application, form, dosage form, symptoms, body weight, etc., and the present invention is not limited thereto, but the content may be 1 to 99% (w / w) (preferably 10 to 80% (w / w)) of the total amount. In the present invention, the preparation of the present invention may consist of fermented milk, and the composition of the present invention may comprise fermented milk and other ingredients.

[0021] The form of the composition and preparation of the present invention is not particularly limited and may be any of solid, liquid and frozen forms, preferably solid or liquid, more preferably liquid.

[0022] In the present invention, "lactic acid bacteria" refers to bacteria that produce lactic acid by strong lactic fermentation of sugar (in the narrow sense, bacteria that convert glucose with an efficiency of 50% or more), and examples of such bacteria include Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, and Bifidobacterium.

[0023] In the present invention, the term "Lactococcus bacteria" refers to Lactococcus Lactococcus Lactococcus is a lactic acid bacterium belonging to the genus Lactococcus. Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis ), Lactococcus garvieae ( Lactococcus Garvieae ), Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris ( Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris ) and Lactococcus lactis subsp. holdoniae ( Lactococcus lactis subsp. hordniae ), and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis is preferred.

[0024] Specific examples of Lactococcus bacteria include Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM5805, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM20101, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis NBRC12007, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis NRIC1150, Lactococcus garvieae NBRC100934, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris JCM16167, Lactococcus lactis subsp. Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris NBRC100676, Lactococcus lactis subsp. holdoniae JCM1180 and Lactococcus lactis subsp. holdoniae JCM11040 are included, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM5805 and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM20101 are preferred, and Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM5805 is particularly preferred.

[0025] Of the above lactic acid bacteria strains, the JCM strains can be obtained from the Microbial Materials Development Laboratory of the RIKEN BioResource Center (http: / / jcm.brc.riken.jp / ja / ), the NBRC strains from the Biological Genetic Resources Division of the National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (http: / / www.nbrc.nite.go.jp), and the NRIC strains from the Culture Collection of Tokyo University of Agriculture (http: / / nodaiweb.university.jp / nric / ). In addition to the above specific strains, the present invention can also use strains equivalent to Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM5805, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM20101, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis NBRC12007, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis NRIC1150, Lactococcus garvieae NBRC100934, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris JCM16167, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris NBRC100676, Lactococcus lactis subsp. holdoniae JCM1180, and Lactococcus lactis subsp. holdoniae JCM11040. Here, the equivalent strain refers to a strain derived from the above strain, or a strain from which the above strain is derived, or a descendant strain of the strain. Equivalent strains may be stored in other strain collection institutions. Figure 1 shows strains derived from Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM5805 and strains from which Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM5805 is derived. Equivalent strains of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM5805 shown in Figure 1 can also be used as an active ingredient of the present invention, and when Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM5805 is referred to in the present invention, these equivalent strains are also included.Other lactic acid bacteria strains that can be used as an active ingredient of the present invention can be obtained from the Microbial Materials Development Laboratory, RIKEN BioResource Center (1-1 Takanodai 3-chome, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan), American Type Culture Collection (USA), National Institute of Technology and Evaluation (5-8 Kazusa Kamatari 2-chome, Kisarazu, Chiba, Japan), and Strain Collection Room, Tokyo University of Agriculture (1-1-1 Sakuragaoka 1-chome, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan), etc.

[0026] The "fermented milk" which is an active ingredient of the present invention can be produced, for example, as follows. That is, it can be produced by fermenting a mixture of sterilized raw materials and a lactic acid bacteria starter, specifically, by sterilizing a yogurt mix containing raw materials such as milk, adding lactic acid bacteria also called bulk starter after cooling, and fermenting at an appropriate temperature. There are two types of fermentation: a post-fermentation type in which the milk is fermented after being packed into a container, and a pre-fermentation type in which the milk is fermented before being packed into a container, and either method can be used.

[0027] The raw material may be any one that can supply sufficient sugars and amino acids for lactic acid fermentation to proceed. In order to proceed with lactic acid fermentation without problems, any one or a combination of proteins, peptides, amino acids, carbohydrates, oligosaccharides, and sugars may be added as a fermentation aid. That is, the fermented milk, which is the active ingredient of the present invention, may contain a fermentation aid, and examples of the fermentation aid include those mentioned above, and preferably milk peptides. Milk peptides that can be used as fermentation aids are known, and for example, commercially available products such as LE80GF-US (manufactured by FrieslandCampina Domo), CE-90GMM (manufactured by FrieslandCampina Domo), MCH-30 (manufactured by Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.), and Morinaga Milk Peptide C800 (manufactured by Morinaga Milk Industry Co., Ltd.) can be used.

[0028] Lactic acid bacteria may be appropriately selected according to the flavor and desired functionality of the finished product. Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus salvarius subsp. thermophilus are well known bulk starters, and co-cultures of these are also well known and can be used in the present invention. However, a starter may be selected from the viewpoint of imparting functionality, and preferably Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis can be used alone or in combination with other lactic acid bacteria. When Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis is used in combination with other lactic acid bacteria, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis can preferably be used as the dominant bacterium. That is, in the present invention, the "fermented milk" can be fermented milk in which Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis is preferably the dominant bacterium. From the viewpoint of providing functionality, Lactobacillus lactis subsp. lactis does not need to grow by itself, and a required amount may be added before or after fermentation.

[0029] The composition and agent of the present invention are intended to be used for improving work performance. In the present invention, "work performance" means work productivity, for example, the work productivity of workers such as office workers. Work performance can be evaluated using presenteeism as an index, as described in Example 3(2)A below. When presenteeism has improved significantly compared to the control, it can be determined that work performance has improved.

[0030] In the present invention, "improving work performance" means to raise work performance from the current level, and is used in a sense including improving work performance. Here, "improving work performance" includes recovering work performance that has declined and preventing a decline in work performance.

[0031] The composition and preparation of the present invention are intended to be used for improving vitality. In the present invention, "vitality" means the power to generate activity, that is, the power to move or work energetically, and is synonymous with liveliness. Vitality can be evaluated based on the Japanese version of the POMS short version, as described in Example 3(2) (i) below. When vitality is improved with a significant difference compared to the control, it can be determined that vitality has improved.

[0032] In the present invention, "improving vitality" means to increase vitality from the current state, and is used in a sense including improving vitality. Here, "improving vitality" includes recovering vitality that has once decreased, and preventing the decrease in vitality.

[0033] The compositions and agents of the present invention can be provided in the form of medicines (e.g., pharmaceutical compositions), quasi-drugs, foods (e.g., food compositions), feeds, etc., and can be implemented according to the following description.

[0034] Since the fermented milk, which is the active ingredient of the present invention, has the effect of improving work performance and vitality, it can be ingested or administered to subjects whose work performance has decreased or may decrease, or whose vitality has decreased or may decrease. The subjects who ingest or administer the fermented milk are not limited to humans, but may also be mammals other than humans (livestock animals such as cows and horses, and pet animals such as dogs and cats).

[0035] When the fermented milk, which is an active ingredient of the present invention, is provided as a food, it can be provided as it is, or it can be provided by being contained in a food. The food provided in this way is a food containing an effective amount of the active ingredient of the present invention. In this specification, "containing an effective amount" of the active ingredient of the present invention means a content such that the active ingredient of the present invention is ingested in the range described below when the amount normally consumed in each food is ingested. In addition, "food" is used to mean health food, functional food, nutritional supplement, health functional food (e.g., specific health food, nutritional functional food, functional food), special purpose food (e.g., food for infants, food for pregnant women, food for sick people) and supplements. It goes without saying that when the fermented milk, which is an active ingredient of the present invention, is ingested by animals other than humans, the food referred to in the present invention is used as feed. That is, in the present invention, "food" is used to mean "feed".

[0036] In the present invention, when the fermented milk, which is the active ingredient of the present invention, is provided as a food product as it is, examples of such foods include the above-mentioned solid (standing type) yogurt (e.g., plain yogurt, yogurt with palatability imparted, solid yogurt with palatability imparted), solid (stirred type) yogurt (e.g., soft yogurt), liquid yogurt (e.g., drink yogurt), and frozen yogurt (e.g., frozen yogurt).

[0037] In the present invention, when the fermented milk, which is the active ingredient of the present invention, is contained in a food product, the fermented milk can be added to food ingredients as it is or after processing to produce the food product. Examples of such foods include lactic acid bacteria drinks, which are beverages made by processing fermented milk or that use fermented milk as a main ingredient, as well as non-alcoholic beverages such as soft drinks, carbonated drinks, beverages containing fruit juice, beverages containing vegetable juice, beverages containing fruit and vegetable juice, soy milk, drink-type or stick-type jellies, coffee, cocoa, tea drinks, nutritional drinks, energy drinks, and sports drinks; dairy products such as cheese, fresh cream made from livestock milk and other oils and fats, and ice cream; Western confectionery such as cookies, cakes, and chocolate, Japanese confectionery such as buns and yokan, tablet confectionery (refreshing confectionery) such as ramune, candies, gum, cold and frozen desserts such as jellies and puddings, and snacks; processed foods (including delicacies) made from seafood and livestock meat (including offal such as liver), processed foods such as curry and curry roux, stew and stew roux, and soups; condiments such as seasonings; and liquid foods such as concentrated liquid foods. The foods provided by the present invention include both food manufacturing ingredients and food additives.

[0038] Tea beverages include all of fermented, semi-fermented, and non-fermented teas, such as black tea, green tea, barley tea, brown rice tea, sencha, gyokuro tea, roasted green tea, oolong tea, turmeric tea, pu-erh tea, rooibos tea, rose tea, chrysanthemum tea, ginkgo leaf tea, and herbal teas (e.g., mint tea, jasmine tea).

[0039] Examples of fruits used in fruit juice beverages and beverages containing fruit and vegetable juice include apples, mandarin oranges, grapes, bananas, pears, peaches, mangoes, acai, blueberries, and plums, while examples of vegetables used in vegetable juice beverages and beverages containing fruit and vegetable juice include tomatoes, carrots, celery, pumpkins, cucumbers, and watermelons.

[0040] When the fermented milk, which is the active ingredient of the present invention, is provided in the form of a food or supplement, the composition and the agent of the present invention can be provided in a unit package form in which the amount to be taken per meal is predetermined. Examples of the unit package form per meal include a pack, a package, a can, a bottle, etc., which specifies a certain amount. In order to better exert the various effects of the composition and the agent of the present invention, the intake amount per meal can be determined according to the daily intake amount of fermented milk, which will be described later. The food of the present invention may be provided with an explanation regarding the intake amount displayed on the package, or with a document or the like containing the explanation.

[0041] The predetermined intake amount per meal in the unit package form may be the effective intake amount per day, or the effective intake amount per day divided into two or more portions (preferably two or three portions). Thus, the unit package form of the composition and agent of the present invention may contain fermented milk at the daily human intake amount described below, or may contain fermented milk in an amount that is half or one third of the daily human intake amount described below. For convenience of intake, the composition and agent of the present invention are preferably provided in a "unit package form per meal" in which the intake amount per meal is the effective intake amount per day.

[0042] When the fermented milk, which is an active ingredient of the present invention, is provided as a food, the form of the "food" is not particularly limited, and may be any of solid, liquid, and frozen forms. In the present invention, the fermented milk, which is an active ingredient of the present invention, may also be provided as a supplement. Such a supplement can be provided as a supplement by powdering the fermented milk, which is an active ingredient of the present invention, by a known method such as freeze-drying or spray-drying, and providing the powdered fermented milk as it is. The supplement may also be a tablet produced by adding an excipient, a binder, etc. to the powdered fermented milk, kneading the mixture, and then tableting, or a capsule prepared by encapsulating the powdered fermented milk in a capsule or the like.

[0043] The intake amount of fermented milk, which is an active ingredient of the present invention, can be determined depending on the sex, age, weight, symptoms, intake time, dosage form, administration route, etc. of the subject, and can be determined, for example, using the lactic acid bacteria contained in the fermented milk as an indicator. For example, when fermented milk is ingested for the purpose of improving work performance and / or vitality, the daily intake amount for humans is, for example, 1 x 10 lactic acid bacteria (particularly Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis) cell count. 8 ~1×10 14 pcs, preferably 1 x 10 9 ~1×10 13 pcs, more preferably 1×10 10 ~1×10 12 1×10 11 The number of times of ingestion is not particularly limited, and the above-mentioned effective intake amount may be taken once a day, or in several divided doses (e.g., two or three times), preferably once a day. There is also no particular limit to the timing of ingestion, and the subject may take it at a time when it is convenient for the subject. The above-mentioned intake amount and intake timing of the fermented milk, as well as the intake period described below, are applicable when the fermented milk, which is the active ingredient of the present invention, is used for both non-therapeutic and therapeutic purposes, and when it is used for therapeutic purposes, intake can be read as administration.

[0044] The composition and agent of the present invention can exert its effect better by long-term ingestion, and can be continuously ingested for, for example, 3 days or more, preferably 1 week or more, more preferably 2 weeks or more, and particularly preferably 4 weeks or more. Here, "continuously" means to continue daily ingestion. When the composition and agent of the present invention are provided in a packaged form, an effective intake amount for a certain period (for example, 1 week) may be provided as a set for continuous ingestion.

[0045] It is desirable to start taking the composition and preparation of the present invention, for example, before the date and time when improvement in work performance and vitality are expected, and the start time can be 3 days (preferably 5 days, more preferably 10 days) before the expected date and time. It is also desirable to take the composition and preparation of the present invention, for example, for as long a period as possible before the date and time when improvement in work performance and vitality are expected, and the end time of intake can be determined from this perspective, and can be, for example, 3 days, 2 days, 1 day, or the same day as the expected date and time.

[0046] The compositions, preparations, and foods of the present invention may be labeled to indicate that they have the effect of improving work performance and / or improving vitality. In this case, some or all of the following labels may be attached to the compositions, preparations, and foods of the present invention to make the labeling easy for consumers to understand. It goes without saying that in the present invention, "improving work performance" and "improving vitality" are used in a sense that includes the following labels. For those who want to get motivated at work For those who have work to do but are not feeling well and are unable to concentrate For those who want to work energetically For those who come to work feeling spacey For those who want to achieve results in a short time -To combat lazy work -Improve presenteeism For those who want to increase labor productivity

[0047] According to the present invention, there is provided a method for improving work performance and vitality, which comprises ingesting or administering an effective amount of fermented milk or a composition containing the same to a subject in need thereof. The subject for ingestion or administration is a mammal, including human, and preferably human. The method for improving work performance and vitality of the present invention can be carried out according to the description of the composition and agent of the present invention.

[0048] The present invention also provides the use of fermented milk or a composition comprising it for the manufacture of a composition for improving work performance and vitality, or for the manufacture of an agent for improving work performance and vitality. The present invention also provides the use of fermented milk or a composition comprising it for improving work performance or as an agent for improving work performance. The present invention also provides the use of fermented milk or a composition comprising it for improving vitality or as an agent for improving vitality. The present invention also provides fermented milk or a composition comprising it for use in improving work performance or for use in improving vitality. The use of the present invention and the fermented milk and composition comprising it of the present invention can be carried out according to the description of the composition and agent of the present invention.

[0049] The method and use of the present invention may be used in mammals, including humans, and both therapeutic and non-therapeutic uses are intended. As used herein, "non-therapeutic" does not include surgical, therapeutic or diagnostic procedures for humans (i.e., medical procedures for humans), and specifically does not include methods in which a physician or a person under the supervision of a physician performs surgical, therapeutic or diagnostic procedures on humans. EXAMPLES

[0050] The present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0051] Example 1: Production of fermented milk The raw materials listed in Table 1 were mixed and dispersed, heated to 70°C, and homogenized under a homogenizing pressure (16 MPa). The raw material milk peptide (LE80GF-US, FrieslandCampina Domo) was added as a fermentation aid to ensure smooth lactic acid fermentation. After heat sterilization, the mixture was cooled to around 35°C and lactic acid bacteria (Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis ( Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis) JCM5805 strain, hereinafter sometimes referred to as "JCM5805 strain". ) 3% by mass was added and fermented at 32°C. Fermentation was completed when the pH reached 4.6, and the mixture was cooled to 10°C and homogenized (no pressure) to produce fermented milk. The fermented milk was stored at 10°C or below until consumption. [Table 1]

[0052] Example 2: Analysis of fermented milk (1) Lactic acid bacteria content The fermented milk obtained in Example 1 above was added to the BL medium to a final concentration of 0.4% by mass, and plate cultured at 30° C. for 72 hours. As a result, the fermented milk contained 10 9 It was confirmed that it contained cfu / g.

[0053] (2) Nutritional components The nutritional components per 115g of the fermented milk obtained in Example 1 above were analyzed. The energy content, carbohydrate content, and salt equivalent content were calculated according to the "Food Labeling Standards" (March 30, 2015, Food Labeling No. 139). In particular, the carbohydrate content and salt equivalent content were calculated using the following formula. Carbohydrate content = 100 - (moisture + protein + fat + ash) Salt equivalent = sodium content (mg) x 2.54 ÷ 1000

[0054] The protein content was measured by the Kjeldahl method, the lipid content by the Roese-Gottlieb method, and the sodium and calcium contents by atomic absorption spectrometry. The results are shown in Table 2.

[0055] [Table 2]

[0056] Example 3: Effects of fermented milk containing lactic acid bacteria (JCM5805 strain) on improving work performance (1) Test method The subjects were 226 office workers aged between 20 and 65. They were randomly divided into two groups, group A (64 men, 49 women, total 113 people) and group B (64 men, 49 women, total 113 people), to avoid bias in terms of gender and age.

[0057] The study was a randomized crossover open study. That is, as shown in Figure 2, the subjects were divided into two groups, and the study period consisted of Period I (4 weeks), followed by a resting period (4 weeks), and then Period II (4 weeks). Period I was the intake period for Group A, and Period II was the non-intake period, while Period I was the non-intake period for Group B, and Period II was the intake period. During the study period, the subjects were instructed not to significantly change their lifestyle habits from before the study period. This study was conducted after being reviewed and approved by the Shiba Palace Clinic Ethics Committee.

[0058] As a test food, lactic acid bacteria (JCM5805 strain) was added at 1 × 10 11 The subjects were asked to consume 115 g of the fermented milk obtained in Example 1, containing 100 mg of lactic acid bacteria, once a day at lunchtime on weekdays during the intake period. During the non-intake period, the subjects were not asked to consume the test food. In addition, the subjects were asked to answer questionnaires at the end of the intake period and the end of the non-intake period.

[0059] (2) Evaluation method The questionnaire results of both groups at the end of the intake period and the end of the non-intake period were compiled to evaluate work performance and mood. Note that the following questionnaires regarding work performance and mood are both indicators for evaluating the state during a certain period prior to the time of answering the questionnaire, so the questionnaire results at the end of the intake period evaluate the state during the intake period, and the questionnaire results at the end of the non-intake period evaluate the state during the non-intake period.

[0060] A. Labor performance To evaluate work performance, we used a shortened version of the World Health Organization Health and Work Performance Questionnaire (https: / / www.hcp.med.harvard.edu / hpq / info.php, hereafter referred to as "HPQ"). The HPQ is a questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization to subjectively evaluate worker performance, and is composed of two indicators: absenteeism and presenteeism. Absenteeism refers to a state of absence from work, i.e., not being at work. Presenteeism refers to a state of reduced ability due to poor health, i.e., not being able to perform adequately due to physical or mental health problems despite being at work (see HPQ above).

[0061] Based on the subjects' responses, the mean ± standard deviation was calculated for the four items of absolute absenteeism, relative absenteeism, absolute presenteeism, and relative presenteeism using the following formula. <Absenteeism: Absence from work> Absolute absenteeism: (regular working hours - actual working hours) Relative absenteeism: (regular working hours - actual working hours) / regular working hours <Presenteeism: A state of reduced ability due to poor physical condition> · Absolute presenteeism: Own performance evaluation Relative presenteeism: Own performance rating / average performance rating of others

[0062] B. Mood state To evaluate mood states, the Profile of Mood States Test (POMS) was used (Japanese version POMS short version, Kaneko Shobo). Based on the responses to 30 items related to mood, the mean ± standard deviation was calculated for six items: tension / anxiety, depression / lower mood, anger / hostility, vigor (vitality), fatigue, and confusion.

[0063] (3) Results The subjects for analysis were 153, excluding 73 subjects who were judged to have problems with the reliability of the test results, such as those who had a low intake rate of the test food during the intake period. The subjects for analysis were 80 subjects in group A (47 men, 33 women) and 73 subjects in group B (42 men, 31 women).

[0064] A. Labor performance The results for work performance and mood states are shown in Tables 3 and 4, respectively. [Table 3]

[0065] The results in Table 3 show that there was a significant improvement in absolute presenteeism on the HPQ during the intake period compared to the non-intake period (p<0.05), indicating an improvement in work performance, such as an improvement in the condition in which one was unable to perform adequately due to mental and physical health problems despite attending work.

[0066] [Table 4]

[0067] The results in Table 4 show that the POMS mood state, vigor (vitality), showed significant improvement during the intake period compared to the non-intake period (p<0.05), indicating that vigor (vitality) increased during the intake period.

[0068] Based on the above results, lactic acid bacteria (JCM5805 strain) at 1 × 10 11 It was shown that the intake of fermented milk containing lactic acid bacteria (JCM5805 strain) improved work performance and vitality. In other words, it was shown that the intake of lactic acid bacteria (JCM5805 strain) is useful for improving the work performance and vitality of workers.

Claims

1. A composition for improving work performance comprising fermented milk.

2. 2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the improved work performance is due to improved presenteeism.

3. 3. The composition according to claim 1 or 2 for improving vitality.

4. A composition for enhancing vitality comprising fermented milk.

5. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fermented milk is fermented milk in which Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis is the predominant bacterium.

6. Fermented milk contains Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis at a concentration of 1 x 10 per gram of fermented milk. ９ The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising one or more of the following:

7. The daily intake of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis in humans is 1 x 10 ８ ~1×10 １４ The composition according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the fermented milk is ingested so as to achieve a single serving.

8. The composition according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis is JCM5805 strain.

9. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the fermented milk comprises a fermentation aid.

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