Tarako, which is mainly prepared from the Walleye Pollock ovary, is a popular seafood product in Japan. However strange taste of the product has been reported, which is thought to be related to ovarian maturity. However, this remains to be confirmed. In this research, sensory assessment, electric taste sensor analysis and chemical analysis were carried out. Results confirmed that there is the difference in taste depending on ovarian maturity. However the amount of hydroperoxide, i.e., TMA/TMAO, showed no marked difference. However, the amount of the amino acids conferring the bitterness was higher in immature ovaries than in sufficiently mature ones.

　Stony hard (SH) peaches lack the ability to synthesize ethylene during fruit maturation which imparts a crisp flesh even after harvest. However, they can be made to soften and lose their crispness by being subjected to a continuous ethylene treatment. Ethylene treatment at approximately 10ppm for 2～3 days is necessary for SH peach softening. Under experimental conditions, fruit are exposed to a continuous flow of ethylene in order to avoid CO₂ damage - a method whose associated costs makes it impractical for commercial use. This study aimed at developing a simple technique to soften SH peach fruit so as to have a desirable texture for eating. We found that SH peaches could be successfully softened by a 3-day treatment regardless of temperature (15, 25, or 30℃) using an improved ethylene emitter and a cardboard box having low gas permeability. The concentrations of O₂ and CO₂ in the box were kept above 18.3% and below 2.2%, respectively, during the treatment. No gas injuries were observed in the flesh. In fruit samples stored for 2 weeks at 10 or 15℃ prior to treatment, firmness decreased by the same treatment for 2 days, but the texture was worse than that of the fruit treated on the day of harvest. This study indicates that the firmness of SH peach fruit can be easily reduced using an improved ethylene emitter and a cardboard box with low gas permeability, which is cost effective for commercial applications.

　樹上において，エチレン阻害物質（樹体要因）が葉から果実へ供給されるという考えを支持するいくつかの報告がある。本研究において，カキ‘平核無’幼果の落果と内部または内生エチレン生成が結果枝上の葉の遮光または摘葉処理によって顕著に促進された。このことは，「樹体エチレン阻害要因」の存在を支持する。また，採取した‘平核無’幼果において，葉の粗抽出液（エタノール抽出後リン酸緩衝液に溶解）と異なる極性で分けられた3つの葉の抽出画分（ヘキサン，酢酸エチルと水画分）および4つの植物ホルモン（アブシジン酸，ジベレリンA₃，インドール酢酸とゼアチン）の果肉への浸透処理は内生エチレン生成を抑制しなかった。このことから，期待された「樹体エチレン阻害要因」は葉の抽出液に含まれないと考えられた。カキにおいては，「樹体エチレン阻害要因」は葉中の物質ではなく，むしろ水供給のようなある種の物理的作用が「樹体エチレン阻害要因」として働くのかもしれない。

　ブロッコリー（Brassica oleracea L. Italica Group）は収穫後室温では急速に老化する。エタノールパッドによるエタノール蒸気処理は収穫したブロッコリーの老化を抑制する。エタノール蒸気処理の様々な老化プロセスに及ぼす影響を理解するために，エチレンおよびエタノール処理したブロッコリーをもちいて老化に関連する遺伝子の発現を解析した。ブロッコリーのブランチレットはエタノールパッドとともに有孔ポリエチレン袋中に包装され，暗所下，20℃で貯蔵した。エチレン処理は貯蔵中通気式で行われた。処理区は，無処理，エチレン処理のみ，エタノール処理のみ，エチレン及びエタノール処理の4つをもうけた。無処理のブロッコリーにおいて，BoINV2の発現量は増加し，エチレン処理により遺伝子発現は促進され，エタノール処理により抑制された。エタノール処理を行わなかったブロッコリーにおいて，BoCAR1-5，BoMT1，BoCP5およびBoSPT1の発現量も増加したが，エチレンによる発現の促進は認められなかった。また，エタノール処理によりこれらの遺伝子の発現も抑制された。エタノール処理を行ったブロッコリーにおけるBoAPX1の発現はエタノール処理しないものに比べ少ない傾向にあった。BoGDHに関してはいずれの処理区においても顕著な変動は認められなかった。以上の結果から，収穫後のブロッコリーへのエタノール蒸気処理は，老化に関連する遺伝子の発現を抑制することが示唆された。

　Mechanically defatted soybean flour is a residue of mechanical soybean oil expression. We tried to produce a low-fat soybean yogurt with probiotic activity using mechanically defatted soybean flour. Sixteen strains of lactic acid bacteria were examined for their growth in the fermented soymilk made from the mechanically defatted soybean flour, changes in survival rate in cold storage, and immunostimulatory activity. Production of lactic acid by the tested strains in the fermented soymilk was also determined. ① Thirteen strains grew well in soymilk made from the flour. Strain F47 exerted the highest lactic acid production among the tested strains, and the taste evaluation of the fermented soymilk was excellent. Therefore strain F47 was selected as a suitable bacterium for the fermentation of soymilk made from the mechanically defatted soybean flour. ② Strain H47induced the production of cytokines from macrophage-like cell line J774.1, indicating that this strain had an immunostimulatory activity. ③ Soymilk was fermented using strain H47 at 30℃ for 20 hours, and the viable cell count of strain H47 was more than 10⁸cfu/ml. The fermented soymilk was stored at 5℃ for 7 days, and the viable cell count remained on the order of 10⁸cfu/ml. Our study shows that it is possible to produce probiotic fermented soybean yogurt from mechanically defatted soybean flour.