Fish meal-fish sauce, a new-type condiment like soy sauce, was prepared from fish meal instead of soybean by fermentation with koji. The fish sauce was rich in both taste derived from fish and flavor like soy sauce.
In this study, browning reaction during processing of the fish meal-fish sauce was determined. Five kinds of the fish sauces were prepared from sardine meal by 6-month fermentation with different kinds of koji. Soy sauce was also prepared for control. Color intensity of the fish sauces increased during fermentation, but was much lower than that of soy sauce. It was reported that browning of soy sauce is derived mainly from amino-carbonyl reaction between amino compounds and reducing sugar. However, reducing sugar amount varied among five fish sauces and was not related with color intensity. Amino acid and amino compound levels in the fish sauces were lower than those in soy sauce. Polyphenol oxidase activity and polyphenol compound level were also lower in the fish sauces than in soy sauce. In addition, iron content in the fish sauces was lower than that in soy sauce. These results demondstrate that color intensity of the fish meal-fish sauce was lower than that of soy sauce due to lower levels of amino acids, amino compounds, polyphenol oxidase activity, polyphenol compounds, and iron.

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Round slices of cucumber flesh of about 10g each were soaked in nine kinds of aqueous solutions containing NaCl and sorbitol with various osmotic pressures at 4&C for 20 hours. The soaking solutions of cucumber were composed of NaCl and sorbitol as to give 47.4,63.1, and 94.6 atm (average values) of combined osmotic pressure, together with partial osmotic pressures of sorbitol 21.3,46.3, and 72.6% (average values) of the whole pressure. The results obtained were as follows:
(1) Permeation of NaCl into flesh increased with increasing the combined osmotic pressure together with the partial osmotic pressure of NaCl in the soaking solution.
(2) There was a direct proportion between the increase in NaCl concentration of flesh (percent/100g wet wt. flesh) and the partial osmotic pressure of NaCl in the soaking solution.
(3) Permeation of sorbitol into flesh also increased with increasing the combined osmotic pressure together with the partial osmotic pressure of sorbitol in the soaking solution.
(4) There was also good correlation between the increase in sorbitol concentration of flesh and the partial osmotic pressure of sorbitol in the soaking solution, but not a direct proportion.
(5) With the progress of soaking time, the moisture content of the flesh reduced although the rate of reduction did not depend on the partial osmotic pressure of NaCl or sorbitol.
(6) There was a good correlation between the reduction of moisture content of flesh and the combined osmotic pressure of soaking solution. The rate of reduction of moisture content of flesh caused by soaking remained almost constant value of 0.15-0.20 percent of wet weight of flesh/one atmosphere of combined osmotic pressure.

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A hybrid of wheat starch and egg protein was artificially made using 1-ethyl-3-(3dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide. When cream puff paste (CPP) was prepared using this hybrid instead of starch and then baked, a decrease of puffing development occurred as compared with one made from CPP including starch. This result suggested that the combination of egg protein and the low molecular weight of starch generated by amylase while the CPP is stored at 35°C was related to the deterioration of CPP.

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Taking physicochemical properties of rice powder of various layers into consideration, nutritious rice drink prepared by adding milk to it were examined on the inherent viscosity and color tones.
With no difference among varieties between 30-60% of the inner layer, the viscosity obtained was within the range of 15 cP±5 (measured with BL type viscosity meter) when the amount of rice powder used was 3%, and the level obtained was appropriate as viscosity. In case of more than 70%of the outer layer, some differences were recognized among varieties and layers, and the viscosity in appropriate level controlled when the amount of rice powder used was 5-8%, respectively. As for color tone, the more outer layer is used, the more brown colored, and it was more conspicuous as Japanese style-cafe au lait image.

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The purpose of this study was to clarify the meanings of “body” and “mildness” as the taste of the soup to which “Mirin” was added. This study was conducted according to the following procedure.
1) It was confirmed that “Mirin” gave “body” and “mildness” to dip for noodles.
2) The expressions relating to the words “body” or “mildness” were collected. Then, the expressons representing the characteristics of “Mirin” were chosen.
3) The above expressions were set as the meanings of “body” and “mildness”
As the result “body” was defined as the deep and thick taste with rich smell, and “mildness” as the round, smooth, and nice taste without outstanding sourness and sharpness.

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In order to utilize surimi for western-style dishes, mousses were prepared by using four kinds of fish and shellfish meats as surimi, i. e., chum salmon, white croaker, common horse mackerel and scallop. Rupture and texture measurements and sensory test were conducted to examine the suitability of 4kinds of fish and shellfish meats for mousses.
The following results were obtained.
1) The mousse from common horse mackerel showed the highest values in rupture strain and stress, while those of scallop the lowest. The intermediate values were obtained for chum salmon and white croaker mousses. Hardness values in texture properties for three kinds of mousses except scallop were similar.
2) In sensory test, the mousse of common horse mackerel was evaluated to be harder than other mousses and not preferred in both color and flavor. The scallop mousse was the softest and smoothest and better in color. Chum salmon and white croaker mousses resulted in desirably moderate hardness and elasticity, especially the former was more preferred in both color and flavor. The scores for the attribute 'overall acceptance' were higher in order of chum salmon, white croaker and scallop mousses. The mousse of common horse mackerel was not significantly preferred.
From the above results, it was clarified that churn salmon, white croaker and scallop were suitable for preparing mousses.

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A sensory test for five tastes was carried out at the begining of each shcool year. We discussed on the results obtained in respective years between 1993 and 1996. The following is our conclusion.
In 1993, the students got high marks as a whole. But in 1996, the number of students who gave six correct answers full marks decreased. The number of students who gave four correct answers showed no change. The number of those who gave less than three correct answers increased. This indicates that there is a tendency of decrease in their difference ability for five tastes.
Examing the correlation between the rate of all six correct answers and the rate of correct answers for respective tastes, we recognized that sweetness, tastelessness, and sourness had a great effect on the rate of correct answers.
As to respective tastes, the rates of correct answers for sweetness, saltiness and bitterness were high each year. However, the rates of correct answers for sourness, tastelessness and umami decreased. We conclude that the students have difficulty in recognizing sourness and umami and that they are opt to get confused these two tastes with tastelessness.

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[in Japanese]

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