“One Health” advocates that animal, human, and environmental health are inseparable, and that they should be improved as an interrelated whole. While the improvement of animal and human health is promoted separately in their respective fields, there is a deep relationship between animals and humans, and a variety of interactions exist between them. Therefore, it may be possible to improve the health of both through similar interventions targeting animal-human interaction. This approach has not only scientific and social significance, but also economic significance through the creation of new business opportunities. In this issue, we have included a special feature on new approaches targeting animal-human interactions to improve the quality of life of both. Efforts from various perspectives are needed to achieve well-being for animals and humans at the same time, and the food sector can play a particularly important role in this issue. We would be grateful if readers would take this into consideration and contribute to the achievement of animal and human well-being in their own right.

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The special feature in this issue, “New Initiatives for Improving the Quality of Life for Animals and Humans”, also serves as the Proceedings of the First Annual Meeting Commemorating the Establishment of the Society for Preventive Medicine for Animals and Humans (SPMAH), which is introduced in the Preface. The meeting was held at the Okinaga Memorial Hall, Teikyo Heisei University Ikebukuro Campus, on June 29, 2024. As the One Health concept states, the health of the three parties - animals, humans, and the environment - is inseparable and inextricably linked. It is our responsibility in the modern world to maintain and promote the health of all three parties as a unit. We would be grateful if readers would support SPMAH's activities to achieve the well-being of animals and humans.

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Promotion of animal welfare benefits from animalspecific research, but it is also necessary to recognize and apply the concepts of human health maintenance and preventive medicine that have preceded it. Therefore, in this paper, I will first outline human preventive medicine from the perspective of “well‐being” as a measure against frailty and nutrition (wellness food).
It is important to focus on “preventive medicine” that delays the onset of illness and helps people live out their natural lifespan, rather than only “therapeutic medicine” that cures illnesses that have already worsened. This can be extrapolated quite closely from humans to animals.
Health is believed to comprise three elements. The first is commonly referred to as physical health. The second is the health of the brain and nervous system. The body may be healthy but the brain may be impaired, such as in mental illness or dementia. The third is mental health, which is deeply related to brain function. A healthy body, a healthy brain, and maintenance of mental health are important in modern society. I believe that true health can be achieved when these three elements of health are met.

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The proportion of elderly animals has increased as life span has increased in dogs and cats. Age-related diseases have increased in elderly animals as in humans. A chronic low-grade proinflammatory state of inflammaging appears to accelerate age-related diseases. As nutritional metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes are risk factors for chronic inflammatory diseases, suppression of inflammaging with nutritional approaches helps prevent age-related diseases. Cats are more prone to obesity than dogs owing to the unique characteristics of their glucose and lipid metabolism, and 60% of elderly cats over 10 years of age are considered obese. Overweight cats with high body condition score (BCS) of 7/9 are diagnosed with obesity if they show two or more symptoms such as low adiponectin concentrations, hyperlipidemia, or high serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations. Most obese cats show insulin resistance and have type 2 diabetes mellitus. Senescent adipose cells (remodeling cells) secrete proinflammatory mediators known as senescenceassociated secretory phenotype (SASP). In obese cats, detection of SASP mediators such as decrease in adiponectin and increase in SAA and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and suitable nutritional intervention at an early stage of the disease may prevent the occurrence of severe metabolic dysfunctions like diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. Supplementation with some polyphenols such as resveratrol and quercetin shows anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, and these supplementations may prevent obesity and age-related diseases in animals.

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Japan has the highest aging rate in the world, and age-related diseases are on the rise. In particular, hearing loss and dementia affect communication with family members, friends, and caregivers, resulting in social isolation and difficulty in caring for the person. In addition, since it is difficult to fundamentally cure such diseases, it is important to focus on prevention before symptoms appear. To achieve this prevention, it is important to (1) detect hearing loss at an early stage, (2) provide preventive intervention, and (3) evaluate the effect of prevention and provide feedback.
This paper first introduces the mechanism of hearing loss and the relationship between hearing loss and dementia, and then describes the research the authors and their colleagues have been conducting on foods that prevent hearing loss. In Japan, not only people but also pets are rapidly aging, and the problems of hearing loss and dementia are becoming more apparent. In order to explore a methodology for prevention of hearing loss and dementia, we will also present our research with a view to social application in the field of pets.

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The functional foods we consume daily are highly safe based on our eating habits and eating experience, but their effect is not as strong as those of medicine, and are mild-acting, so many of them are taken continuously to prevent diseases and promote health. Also, considering that pets, which have always been by our side during the evolution of mankind, have brought healing to our hearts, and that industrial animals have provided us with benefits such as nutrients, it is no exaggeration to say that human health originates from the health of animals. We have evaluated the usefulness of fats, especially omega-3 fatty acids. Considering modern dietary habits, it is thought that we are taking in too much omega-6 fatty acids, while we are in a state of deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids. In several animal experiments, it has been revealed that a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids can lead to decreased brain function, allergic symptoms, skin disorders including dry skin, decreased visual function such as dry eyes, and even affect reproductive function to produce the next generation.
To care for and raise newborns, the mother must instinctively show maternal behavior, but about 40% of omega-3 deficient dams showed no interest in their young and abandoned nursing. Furthermore, in a pup retrieval test, it was found that omega-3 deficient dams showed low interest in their young and were less likely to show maternal behavior.
Omega-3 fatty acids are involved in various problems at different life stages, and the time has come to pay close attention to the intake of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet of pets and livestock animals. In addition, it is important to know the ideal intake ratio of omega-3 fatty acids to omega-6 fatty acids, which are antagonistic to omega-3 fatty acids, and to improve the practical ability (oil literacy) to bring one's own fatty acid balance closer to the ideal ratio.

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The Pharmaceuticals and Medical Device Act prohibits functional feed (animal wellness food) from being labeled or claimed as a pharmaceutical, but some of the claims given by the authorities as examples that cannot be used in feed can be used in foods under the functionality labeling system.
In order to encourage widespread use of functional ingredients developed for feed, it is necessary to promote the functionality of the ingredients, but the current system does not allow this.
Therefore, it is clear that in order to popularize animal wellness food, a functionality labeling system similar to that for food is necessary in the animal sector, and the Society of Preventive Medicine for Animals and Humans would like to promote activities to institutionalize functionality labeling for feed.

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Bifidobacteria are one of the predominant bacteria in the human gut microbiota and are reduced under various pathological conditions. Galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS), a type of non-digestible carbohydrates, are one of the most well-known “prebiotics” that promote the growth of bifidobacteria in the colon, and their consumption may be beneficial for maintaining the balance of the gut microbiota. In this review, from the perspective of “one-health,” we investigate the health benefits of GOS developed by our institution for humans and companion animals. The main component of our GOS is 4′-galactosyllactose (GL), which consists of a galactose β-1,4 bonded to the galactose moiety of lactose present in human breast milk. In human milk, there are two structural isomers of 4′-GL, 3′-GL with a β-1,3 linkage and 6′-GL with a β-1,6 linkage. The mechanism of utilization of these three GLs by Bifidobacterium breve strain Yakult and type strain revealed that three transporters and two β-galactosidases, corresponding to each substrate, are responsible for the uptake and hydrolysis of GLs, respectively. The administration of infant formula containing GOS to formula-fed infants resulted in an increase in bifidobacteria in the feces. Consumption of GOS by healthy human adults with low fecal bacterial cell counts and a low relative abundance of bifidobacteria resulted in an increase in these microbial parameters. Furthermore, GOS increased the frequency of defecation in constipated individuals. Regarding the efficacy of GOS for companion animals, administration of GOS to dogs and cats kept in general households resulted in increased beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria in feces and the concentration of fecal short-chain fatty acids and reduced fecal putrefactive products and serum urinary toxins. Additionally, in dogs, the suppressive effects of fecal odor and periodontal disease bacterial activity were observed. These findings suggest that GOS may contribute to the maintenance of health and improvement of quality of life in both humans and companion animals.

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Licorice is the root of a perennial herb belonging to the genus Glycyrrhiza of the Fabaceae family and growing wild in arid regions. Licorice is one of the most important herbal medicines and is used in 70% of Kampo medicine formulas. Licorice contains nearly 500 ingredients, of which glycyrrhizin (GL) is the main ingredient, and its content is specified as 2.0% in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia. GL is also widely used in the food industry because of its extremely sweet taste. The high demand for GL in the world has led to over-collection of wild strains, which has caused desertification, a major social problem. In this paper, the author and co-workers have created a monoclonal antibody against GL, developed a new analytical method, the eastern blotting method, created and utilized a knockout extract, and isolated formononetin. Formononetin activates sperm, and is a component with unique activity, and we have described the status of its activity in mice. The author also mentioned the anti-cognitive activity of licorice and its constituents, GL and formononetin.

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Amazake, a traditional Japanese fermented beverage made from rice and sake cake, has been enjoyed for centuries for its sweet flavor and nutritional benefits. Rich in essential nutrients such as glucose, amino acids, and vitamins, amazake is known for its potential to alleviate fatigue and improve skin health. Despite its long history and reputation for promoting wellness, its specific effects on gut health still need to be explored. Amazake contains beneficial components like oligosaccharides and dietary fiber, which serve as fermentation substrates for gut-friendly bacteria. Based on these properties, we hypothesized that consuming amazake might influence the intestinal microbiota in ways that support overall health. To test this idea, a study was conducted in which mice were fed koji amazake—a type of amazake made using koji mold. Our group analyzed changes in the mice's gut microbiota and found some remarkable results. The amazake-fed mice showed a significant increase in the number and diversity of intestinal bacteria compared to the control group. Notably, bacteria from the families Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae- known for producing butyrate, a compound essential for maintaining gut health and other bodily functions— were significantly more abundant in the amazaketreated group. These findings suggest that regular consumption of amazake may promote a healthier gut microbiome, potentially leading to broader health benefits.

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In recent years, the demand for natural colorants to be used as food additive colors has been increasing. Purple carrot pigment is one of the resources with high potential for use as a natural colorant for food additives. Purple carrot pigment is a type of anthocyanin and has been shown to be highly stable. This anthocyanin is cyanidin 3-[2′′-xylosyl-6′′-(6′′′-sinapoyl or -feruloyl)-glucosyl]- galactoside. Depending on the cultivar and growing conditions, precursors of this structure are also accumulated. It is known that modification with sugars and organic acids contributes to the stability of anthocyanin molecules. The more complex the structure of the anthocyanin molecule, the more stable it is. For this reason, breeding varieties that accumulate only highly modified structures leads to the production of high-quality food additive colors. Therefore, the identification of anthocyanin-modifying enzyme genes will be important for future breeding. The modification of the anthocyanin in purple carrot has been elucidated by recent genome analysis and RNA-seq analysis technology except for the glucosylation. It is generally known that the glycosylation of anthocyanins is catalyzed by uridindiphosho (UDP)-sugar-dependent GTs (UGTs). Some anthocyanin glucosylation is mediated by glycoside hydrolase family 1 (GH1) proteins in acyl-glucose dependently. However, in purple carrot anthocyanins, the glucosylation is not catalyzed by UGT or GH1 protein but by acyl-glucose-dependent GT belonging to the glycoside hydrolase family 3 (GH3) protein. This is the first GH3-mediated glycosyltransferase to be discovered. Here, we describe the anthocyanin modification pathway in purple carrot and its glycosylation, especially by GH3-type glucosyltransferase.

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