2,5-Dimethylpyrazine (2,5-DMP) and 2,3,5-trimethylpyrazine (T3MP) are flavor compounds in natto. Threonine seems to relate to the formation of these pyrazines by Bacillus subtilis var. natto (Bacillus natto), although the mechanism is unclear. When B. natto was cultured in minimal medium supplemented with L-threonine, L-glutamic acid, or L-serine, both 2,5-DMP and T3MP were formed only in the culture supplemented with L-threonine. Next, B. natto was cultured in the medium supplemented with ¹³C₄, ¹⁵N-labeled L-threonine. ¹³C and ¹⁵N were incorporated into 2,5-DMP, T3MP, and aminoacetone during culture, suggesting that these compounds are formed from ¹³C₄, ¹⁵N-labeled L-threonine through threonine metabolism by B. natto. When B. natto was cultured on steamed soybean, the amounts of threonine and aminoacetone increased, followed by the formation of 2,5-DMP and T3MP. These results show that 2,5-DMP and T3MP in natto are mainly formed through threonine metabolism by B. natto instead of Strecker degradation.

This study investigated the effects of clove essential oil microcapsules on tyramine biosynthesis and the proliferation of Enterococcus faecium E 2079 during smoked horse sausage fermentation. The results showed that clove essential oil microcapsules significantly inhibited the growth of Enterococcus faecium E 2079 and downregulated the expression of related genes, thereby reducing tyramine accumulation and microbial proliferation. Clove essential oil microcapsules exhibited stronger inhibitory effects than clove essential oil and chitosan gelatin composite microcapsules. The results suggested that microencapsulated clove essential oil can prevent quality deterioration and suppress tyramine biosynthesis during the fermentation and storage of smoked horse sausage.

Gac peel constitute the major proportion of the whole fruit by weight and also contain a significant content of the lutein. However, thousands of tons of Gac peel are estimated to be discarded annually. To develop an efficient and cost-effective method for lutein production from Gac peel by using flash extraction, effects of Gac lutein extraction efficiency (EE) were investigated. When 1 g Gac peel was shaken in 20 mL 90 % ethanol at 55 °C with 2 000 rpm for 40 s, the final EE of lutein reached 98.41 %. In addition, the stability of Gac lutein were studied and the results showed that Gac lutein has good thermal stability, wide pH solution adaptability and strong antioxidant activity. In conclusion, the flash extraction is a promising approach which will enhance utilization of Gac fruit and reduce waste disposal from Gac processing for use in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

This study investigates the effects of −1 ℃ storage on pork loin quality compared to chilled storage temperatures such as 4, 2, and 0 ℃. The −1 ℃ storage suppressed the increase in viable bacteria counts and the decrease in inosine monophosphate (IMP) content compared to chilled storage. The activity levels of cathepsin and aminopeptidase, which are involved in producing free amino acids, at −1 ℃ were almost the same as those at 0 ℃; however, they were lower than those at 4 and 2 ℃. Drip loss was lower during −1 ℃ storage compared to chilled storage. The −1 ℃ storage has the advantage of suppressing the increase in viable bacteria counts and drip loss and the decrease in IMP content, and it can be used to maintain pork loin quality during extended storage in an unfrozen state.

Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) is an aromatic compound found in cruciferous vegetables. We previously have shown that it induces glucose utilization through Akt activation in mouse skeletal muscle cells, C2C12 myotubes. The Akt pathway regulates protein metabolism. However, the effects of PEITC on muscle protein metabolism remain unclear. This study investigated whether PEITC regulates the degradation of muscle protein in isolated rat skeletal muscles. Treatment with PEITC induced the phosphorylation of Akt in the rat extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles. PEITC suppressed the release of 3-methylhistidine (MeHis), a marker of protein degradation in the EDL muscles. Moreover, it tended to suppress the expression of atrogin-1, a muscle specific ubiquitin ligase. Akt inhibition diminished the suppressive effect of PEITC on MeHis release and atrogin-1 expression. These findings suggest that PEITC regulates muscle protein metabolism through Akt. PEITC may therefore serve as a dietary component with useful effects on skeletal muscle metabolism.

The effects of stationary and agitated ohmic heating (OH) methods and conventional thermal pasteurization method (water bath) on changes to liquid egg white and yolk properties (color, albumen turbidity, viscoelasticity, foaming, and emulsify abilities) were evaluated. The degree of thermal protein denaturation (TPD) was also analyzed for quality evaluation. Changes to processed egg samples in color and albumen turbidity (egg white only) were negligible (ΔE* < 3), which are not noticeable to the naked eye. Viscoelasticity of all pasteurized eggs also showed no significant differences (p > 0.05) compared to raw eggs. The foaming abilities of egg white and the emulsifying abilities of egg yolk were considerably enhanced, particularly under agitated OH. Agitation during the OH pasteurization process showed great potential due to its superior maintenance of liquid egg quality compared to the other methods. These results confirmed the quality retention obtained using high frequency OH treatments and provided theoretical guidance for the design of OH-able liquid egg products.

We explored a pre-soaking method to enhance moisture absorption and reduce cooking time for spaghetti to reduce cooking-related energy consumption. Conventional boiling requires heating water before cooking, which consumes considerable energy. We investigated the effects of pre-soaking on the gelatinization, cooking loss, and texture properties of spaghetti by optimizing soaking duration and heating time. No significant differences were found regarding gelatinization compared to that of conventional cooking with equal moisture content. Pre-soaking reduced heating time by up to 7 min. However, quality differences were observed, including increased cooking loss and texture changes. The longer the soaking time, the shorter the heating time and the greater the cooking loss during heating.

The elution of inorganic elements from various foods into boiling water was compared. Sodium and potassium were most easily eluted, and boiling for 10 min reduced their contents in potatoes and vegetables by 20 %–30 % and of meat by nearly 50 %. Magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, manganese, and copper followed them regarding the easiness of elution during boiling. Meat often had higher elution rates for all elements probably because of tissue contraction and leakage of drips by protein denaturation at heating. The presence of fat and casing of meat tended to suppress element elution from pork. An increase in the food surface area linearly decreased the retention rates of sodium and potassium in radish and tofu. A two-phase decrease was observed for some elements in pork. The addition of alkaline metal cations to the boiling water did not affect the elution of sodium and potassium from radish.

This study aimed to elucidate the effect of different sprouting periods (5, 10, and 15 days) and sprouted garlic (SG) parts (clove, root, and sprout) on repairing skeletal muscle injury by enhancing antioxidant capacity and promoting muscle differentiation. The antioxidant and cytoprotective effects of different sprouting periods and SG part extracts were evaluated in hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-exposed C2C12 cells. Among the three sprouting periods and three SG parts, SG harvested at 10 days showed significantly higher protective activities. SG treatment mitigated H₂O₂-mediated stress damage in C2C12 cells by increasing glutathione levels and decreasing the reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde levels. SG also enhanced muscle differentiation and inhibited muscle protein degradation. In conclusion, this study suggested that 10-day SG sprouts could serve as an effective nutraceutical for improving muscle function and combating oxidative stress.

Soaking or boiling meat in water is an effective method for reducing its radioactive cesium content. We investigate the efficiency of some factors in the removal of radioactive cesium from wild boar meat. Heat facilitates the denaturation of muscle protein and the shriveling of meat slice producing drip. A part of the cesium in raw meat was lost with the drip. Furthermore, when heat-denatured cooked meat is soaked in water, the proportion of cesium eluted into the soaking liquid increases compared with that when raw meat is soaked. By soaking the meat slice in water or processing boiling the minced meat, the cesium concentration could be reduced to less than 50 % of the raw material. Conversely, increasing the salt concentration of the soaking water or adding fat to the minced meat before boiling did not significantly change the reduction rate of cesium in the meat.

This study developed and validated a quantification method for quercetin and kaempferol aglycones in radish leaves, following the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) guidelines for single-laboratory validation. Among various hydrolysis conditions tested, heating at 90 °C for 30 min without ascorbic acid yielded the highest analytical values. The developed method satisfied AOAC requirements for repeatability precision, and accuracy. Additionally, robustness testing using the Plackett-Burman design identified hydrolysis temperature as a significant factor influencing analytical results. The method was subsequently applied to compare quercetin and kaempferol content in five radish leaf varieties cultivated during different periods. Seasonal variations in both the content and ratio of these compounds were observed.

The hydration parameter h was obtained from the viscosity B-coefficients using capillary viscometers (CVs) and the partial molar volume, V₂, for sugars with a large number of equatorial (e) OH groups in aqueous solutions at 25 °C. The B-coefficient reflects the effect of a solute on water-structure, considering the Einstein exclusion effect. V₂ values were estimated via extrapolation of the apparent molar volumes. Parameter h showed a good correlation (R² = 0.979) with the number of e-OH groups, even when large numbers of e-OH saccharides were added. Given the time-consuming nature of h measurement, a vibration viscometer (VV) was also used to calculate the B-values. Despite the higher relative viscosity at high concentrations estimated using the VV compared with the CV, the B-values were comparable. Thus, a simple, time-saving, and cost-effective method for measuring h using a VV has been established.