Disclosed are an agent for promoting proliferation of lactic acid bacteria, a preservative, and others, all of which do not deteriorate the flavor of food products. Specifically disclosed is a powdery malted rice extract composition obtained by inoculating lactic acid bacteria in a liquid prepared from a water extract of malted rice so that its Brix degree is 0.01 to 10, culturing the bacteria in the liquid, followed by drying the resulting culture.
