PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a sphingolipid obtained from fermentation lees, which contains human-type free ceramides or free ceramides, which are highly rare in nature, effective as a component of an external preparation for skin useful for cosmetics or the healing of atopic dermatitis, etc., as a health food, in particular, a humectant, and contains a large amount of the human-type free ceramides.SOLUTION: The sphingolipid is obtained by the extractive purification from the fermentation lees which are by-products in the production of a fermentation product using a malt. The sphingolipid contains a plurality of free ceramides and has a free ceramide content of 5% or greater, further 30% or greater, or, in addition to these conditions, the free ceramide content is 50% of the total sum of the free ceramide content and a coexisting glycosyl ceramide content.COPYRIGHT: (C)2012,JPO&INPIT【課題】 健康食品、特に保湿剤として化粧品もしくはアトピー性皮膚炎などの治癒に有用な皮膚外用剤の成分として有効なヒト型遊離セラミド、あるいは自然界では極めて希少な遊離セラミドを、しかもヒト型の遊離セラミドが多く含有する、醗酵粕から取得されたスフィンゴ脂質を提供する。【解決手段】 麹を用いた醗酵製品製造の際の副産物である醗酵粕からの抽出精製によって、遊離セラミドを複数含有し、遊離セラミドの含有量が5%、さらには30%以上のスフィンゴ脂質、あるいは、それらの条件に加えて、併存するグリコシルセラミド含有量との総和量の50%が遊離セラミドでもある発酵粕由来スフィンゴ脂質を得る。【選択図】 図3
