We performed a quality survey of the major edible salt brands sold in Japan by measuring both their major and minor components, over a period of five years. According to the package information, additives were not used in more than 70% of the products. Regarding the container shape, bagged products were about 70% of the total, while bottled and standing pouched products were the remaining 30%. The raw materials and manufacturing processes were mainly two types (seawater/ion-exchange membrane and solar salt/dissolution). As an indicator of the average proportion of wet salts, the characteristic components as a quality of each brand are suggested. The minor components originating from seawater and sand were also quantified. We found that there were no significant changes in the main edible salt brands lists sold in Japan over the five years in question. Therefore, the characteristic components of the main edible salt brands sold in Japan are found.

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Research for this study involved an examination of the effects of a modified cassava starch substitution on the baking quality of rice bread. Starch substitutions used native cassava starch (NS), phosphate cross-linked cassava starch subsequently treated with α-amylase (PAS), and acetylated phosphate cross-linked cassava starch subsequently treated with α-amylase (APAS). Substitutions with rice flour were non-gelatinized or gelatinized. The substitution of 20% non-gelatinized cassava starch decreased the specific loaf volume slightly but did not affect the physical properties of rice bread. On the other hand, the substitution of 20% gelatinized cassava starch (G) increased the specific loaf volume, especially because of the substitution with APAS (G). Crumb pores became smaller based on substitutions with NS (G) and PAS (G), but bread with the APAS (G) substitution showed a tendency towards larger pores. Bread containing the gelatinized cassava starch substitution contained much more maltose, which influenced crumb hardening during storage. Thus, using a new gelatinized cassava starch substitute was suggested to the improve the texture of rice bread.

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The effect of water hardness on the palatability of green tea infusions was analyzed by measuring the amounts of chemical components in the infusions and by sensory evaluation. The amount of white precipitate in the infusions increased in proportion to the hardness. The colour of the infusions deepened in proportion to the hardness, because the b* (yellow) value increased and the L* (brightness) value decreased. The concentration of epigallocatechin and epigallocatechin gallate in the infusions decreased with an increase in water hardness. The vitamin C content in the infusions decreased significantly with an increase in water hardness. On the other hand, the concentrations of free amino acids, caffeine, and free sugars in the infusions did not vary significantly with the type of water used.
Green tea infused with Filette-brand water was judged to show significantly stronger turbidity and sweetness than tea infused with distilled water. By sensory evaluation, tea infused with Filette-brand water was preferred over that infused with distilled water.

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The optimal amount of horseradish in foods containing commercial thickeners was investigated with a view towards improving the quality of life for people with masticating and swallowing difficulties. We used niboshi (dried anchovies) as a model ingredient to provide a fish smell; we also prepared commercial thickening samples made from xanthan gum and agar with varied horseradish concentrations. We then analysed flavour release based on changes in the overall food smell as measured by an electronic nose and sensory evaluation, as well as by changes in the amount of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC, the main flavour component of horseradish) as measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The electronic nose measurement results revealed that the intensity and quality of the overall food smell varied in accordance with the horseradish concentration. Furthermore, it showed that the intensity of the overall food smell did not depend on the horseradish concentration. Results of the sensory evaluation revealed that the smell of horseradish decreased before eating in cases for which the horseradish amounts in xanthan gum commercial thickening samples were one-half and one-tenth the standard amount of each sample. The GC-MS results showed that the AITC amount in headspace did not depend upon the horseradish concentration. Additionally, we found that if the amount of horseradish in a xanthan gum commercial thickening sample was doubled, the AITC amount became the same as in the sample that did not contain commercial thickeners. This amount of horseradish, then, is the appropriate amount to add to foods with commercial thickeners in order to maintain flavour.

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Pancake and madeleine were individually made with roasting or with steam, where 10 kinds of grain flours were added, and the confectionery qualities were compared primarily by sensory evaluation. (1) Steamed cakes were evaluated as softer, moister, and more glutinous for all grain flours. (2) Regardless of cake types, red-kernelled rice and foxtail millet flours gave softer cake texture, while buckwheat flour produced harder cake texture. (3) Rice flour was judged as comparable to or slightly better than soft wheat flour in all evaluation criteria for pancakes, but was inferior to soft wheat flour for making madeleine. (4) In all cakes, Job's tears and buckwheat flours had inferior taste, aftertaste and flavor, which contributed to their overall low quality scores.

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