We investigated the gelatinization characteristics of the starch in rice soaked above 65°C for more than 4 hours. The degree of gelatinization of the rice starch increased with increasing soaking temperature. However, the degree of gelatinization remained the same for cooked rice that had been soaked at different temperatures before cooking. X-ray diffraction did not show any specific changes in starch depending on the soaking treatment. The lower molecular size starch components were eluted into the cooking water from the rice soaked at 65°C. The viscosity of rice flour paste soaked at 65°C was lower than that of the paste soaked at 20°C. This difference was not apparent in the starch paste samples. The low stickiness and adhesiveness of the cooked rice soaked at 65°C seemed to result from degradation of the starch by an enzyme reaction during a long period of soaking.

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It is known that the amount and structure of collagen in the connective tissue are major factors determining the textural quality of meat. However, there are few reports examining the structural changes in collagen observed under actual cooking and the association with meat textural properties. In the present study, chicken wing sticks were precooked in a cook-chill system using a cooking pan or a vacuum package. Samples were evaluated for quantitative and structural changes in collagen during the precooking and reheating process in order to examine the effects of these changes on the textural properties and other parameters of the chicken.
The results indicated that the skin-free part of the chicken wing sticks heated in the vacuum package, with and without reheating, contained higher amounts of total collagen, insoluble collagen (ISC), glyceride, and moisture than those heated in a cooking pan. Sensory evaluation showed that the chicken wing sticks were more juicy and elastic when precooked in the vacuum package than in the cooking pan, and the samples precooked in the vacuum package received a higher rating for overall palatability when reheated than when non-reheated. Furthermore, since the amount of seasoning solution required in the vacuum package was markedly lower than that in the cooking pan, this likely resulted in a slower structural loosening of contracted collagen molecules and the observed retention of ISC content in the vacuum packaged chicken wing sticks.

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This study assesses the sensory characteristics of potassium lactate (PL) and examines the effect of PL, in combination with monosodium glutamate (MSG) and salt (NaCl), on the taste palatability by using a clear soup model. The taste characteristics of PL were defined by a trained panel (13-15 members) by using the semantic differential method. The effect of adding PL on the taste of the clear soup model was evaluated with Scehffé's paired comparison by same panel. In comparison with sodium lactate (SL), 0.4-0.8% PL solutions were characterized by a weakly salty and mild taste, and a slightly bitter taste. The taste characteristics of the PL and SL solutions were affected by temperature at relatively low concentrations (<1%). In combination with the five basic taste attributes, PL suppressed the original tastes, except for the sourness of the acetic acid solution. As the PL concentration was increased, the saltiness and sourness decreased, while the taste acceptability, pleasantness, and balance were increased in the clear soup containing 0.6% salt. These results indicate that PL played a role in balancing the tastes and produced pleasant taste characteristics.

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We surveyed food for special occasions and rites of passage in 2009-2010. The results enabled us to compare the current status of rites of passage among individuals who have lived in Tokushima Prefecture for 10 years or more by age group (under 30 years, 30-49 years, and 50 years or older).
The awareness for and experience with the rites of passage of birthday celebrations and the shichigosan festival were high in all age groups, indicating that these events have become well-established. The proportion of subjects eating cake for birthday celebrations was very high in all age groups, indicating a general finding. A high awareness was apparent for celebrations of longevity, but the rate of experience with these events was low for the under 30 years age group. An a wareness for and experience with purification ceremonies and the proportion of respondents who had consumed food for purification purposes were low in all age groups. Only a low proportion of the under 30 years age group had experience with all types of rites of passage, and many individuals in this age group are thought to have forgotten their experiences, even if they had participated, or to not yet have experienced many of them.

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