The effect of tuna bone soup extracted with 2% citric acid on the pH value, acidity, calcium content, rupture strength and sensory attributes of kakdugi (radish kimchi) during fermentation at 10°C was investigated.
The addition of the tuna bone extract restrained the decrease in pH value and the increase in acidity, while maintaining the rupture strength of kakdugi, thus prolonging the edible period by over 5 days. The calcium content of kakdugi with the added tuna bone extract was higher than that with added distilled water. The sourness, firmness and overall evaluation of kakdugi were all improved by adding the tuna bone extract.
Adding tuna bone extracted with 2% citric acid was therefore found to be a valuable method for improving the quality of kakdugi.

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The aim of this study is to promote the use of nakaniku, which is not eatable due to its hardness using low temperature steam cooking. We report the alteration of the tissue structure, umami components and taste of nakaniku during cooking. Histological observations of the material indicated that the muscle fibers shrunk and created gaps between the fibers when boiled, while there were fewer gaps in the materials cooked by baking or low temperature steaming.
IMP was found less in the steamed than baked samples, however, the amounts of AMP and free glutamic acid increased from steaming. Alteration in the size of the protein molecules was determined using SDS-PAGE gel. The differences in the heating methods altered the size and quantity of each protein observable in the gel pattern. A sensory evaluation indicated that low temperature steaming produced a good evaluation in the texture profiles, resulting in high total value score.

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The hardness of the surface (H1), total hardness (H2), and H2/H1 ratio for commercial kori-tofu were 3.00-3.75 N/cm²,15.60-19.10N/cm². and 5.2-5.5, respectively. When this tofu with a low solid content was frozen in a container at-10°C, the result was fibrous kori-tofu with an H2/H1 ratio of over 10, There was a correlation between the solid content and H2/H1 ratio that could be approximated by a third-order function with a correlation coefficient (R²) of 0.9. It was found necessary to raise the solid content of kinugoshi-tofu by over 14% in order to prepare good kori-tofu.

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The oxalate in spinach leaves is believed to be the substance responsible for the unpleasant taste. We have defined the unpleasant sensation remaining after tasting an oxalate solution as the oxalate taste. The water used for boiling spinach had a strong oxalate taste, while the aqueous extract from spinach leaves or the raw spinach leaves themselves had only a slight oxalate taste. The concentration of oxalate found in the water used for boiling spinach was much lower than that in aqueous extract and raw leaves. These results could be interpreted by models that simulated the irritating crystal formation in the mouth between calcium ions from the saliva and oxalate ions from the spinach leaves. The aqueous extract of spinach leaves was separated into water-and ethanol-eluted fractions by the solid-phase extraction technique. The oxalate ions and oxalate taste were recovered in the former fraction, while the bitterness was recovered in the later, implying that the bitter compound (s) in spinach was not oxalic acid.

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The culinary use of leafstalks of Japanese taros (zuiki) and immature beans in the Tokai region of Japan was assessed by a questionnaire survey. Data from 471 households (171 in Aichi,82 in Gifu, and 218 in Mie) were analyzed from joint research conducted by the Japan Society of Cookery Science.
141 households (30%) out of the study population were using zuiki, and 52% of them grew Japanese taros in their gardens. Zuiki was boiled, soaked in vinegar or made into soup, and was used in festive meals as well as daily meals.
The entire study population were consuming immature beans, showing their importance as fresh vegetables. The most commonly used beans were sayaingen (string beans), sayaendou (peas), edamame (green soybeans), and green peas. These vegetables were boiled, dressed with sauce, or fried. Green broad bean paste was made into sweets and served at festivals in Gifu and Mie.

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A questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the fish and shellfish dishes of 171 households in Hiroshima prefecture. The total number of dishes that appeared on replies to the questionnaire was 4,551.
Horse mackerel, squid, yellowtail, short-necked clam and mackerel were the most frequently used fish and shellfish species. Although oysters, black sea bream, hairtail, japanese anchovy and sea cucumber were the species of fish with the largest catch in Hiroshima, they were not the most frequently cooked.75.1% of the fish and shellfish dishes were served uncooked or prepared by broiling, stewing or frying. Most were served in the Japanese style,64.4% of the broiled fish being flavored with salt and 75.2% of the stewed fish being cooked in soy sauce. In contrast, western-style dishes with added pepper and butter were less frequently served. The fish species most characteristic of Hiroshima prefecture, Japanese anchovy was cooked as tempura or served as sashimi, black sea bream as shioyaki (broiled with salt), and small shrimp as soup and shioyude (boiled with salt).

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