The lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus paracasei NRIC0765can assimilate sucrose well, with no glucose repression activity in the presence of glucose. In this study, we investigated the productivity of the sucrose-degrading enzyme by Lb. paracasei NRIC0765, and analyzed the characteristics of this enzyme. Lb. paracasei NRIC0765 showed high sucrose degrading enzyme productivity in both the presence and absence of sucrose. We purified this sucrose-degrading enzyme using a 4-step chromatographic method. The purified enzyme showed high degrading activity on sucrose, p-nitrophenyl-α-D-glucopyranosid, methyl-α-D-glucoside, ethyl-α-D-glucoside and isomaltose, and the Km values for these substrates were 389, 0.671, 128, 12.5 and 25.5 mM, respectively. The catalytic turnover number for these substrates were 102, 64.1, 34.9, 36.7, and 52.8 s^－1, respectively. Optimum temperature was 40℃, and the activity was stable below 45℃. The activity was maximal at pH 5.0, and the activity was stable in a pH range of 4.0 to 7.0. The molecular mass was estimated to be 66 kDa, and the isoelectric point was estimated to be 5.55. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of this enzyme showed high homology to oligo-1, 6-glucosidase and exo-α-1, 4-glucosidase enzymes of some Lactobacillus and Bacillus strains.

　Because the mechanical damage caused by postharvest handling (including bulk storage and transport) plays an important role in the yield and the postharvest quality of fresh produce, the effect of postharvest impact stress on the physiological and chemical properties of cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. Capitata L.) was investigated in this study. To simulate the impact stress occurrence during the bulk handling practice, cabbage picked at commercial harvest stage was dropped from different heights (10, 20, 40, and 80cm) onto a flat, rigid concrete floor. The effects of the dropping treatment on the respiration rate and on the content of various sugars (sucrose, glucose, and fructose) were evaluated during storage at 20℃ for 6 days. Shortly after the dropping treatment, an increased rate of respiration correlated with a higher dropping height. However, a decreased respiration rate was observed after one day of storage. The sugar content of all samples changed slightly at days 1 and 3. At day 6, cabbages dropped from 80 and 40cm showed the lowest content of fructose and total sugar (the sum of sucrose, glucose, and fructose). The major effects of impact stress on cabbage heads include increases in the respiration rate and a loss of sugar content. In addition, tests of controlled atmosphere (CA) treatment on dropped cabbages showed that CA likely inhibited the severe damage caused by impact stress on cabbages because it reduced the rise in respiration rate and slowed the loss of sugar content in dropped cabbages during storage at 20℃. Overall, impact stress obviously affects the postharvest physicochemical properties of cabbage just after impact occurrence (respiration rate) and during storage (sugar content). These changes are also influenced by the strength of the stress level (height of dropping treatment) and the time period after the application of the stress treatment. Rapid and appropriate postharvest handling and storage management, therefore, will delay the onset of deterioration of cabbage quality and extend its shelf life.

　Ero 1 encodes a flavoprotein oxidase that promotes oxidative protein folding through protein disulfide isomerase and generates reactive oxygen species (hydrogen peroxide) as byproducts. Ero 1 was cloned and sequenced from wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Haruyutaka). Three homologous Ero 1 genes were obtained, which showed high sequence conservation. These Ero 1 genes were 455 amino acids in length with a conserved catalytic Cys-X-X-Cys-X-X-Cys motif (Cys370, Cys373, Cys376) and a transmembrane signal in the N-terminal domain. Wheat Ero 1 without the signal sequence was expressed in Escherichia coli as a His-tagged fusion protein. Recombinant Ero 1 was purified by affinity chromatography using a TALON resin column. The activity of purified recombinant Ero 1 was measured by both the catalytic reduction of FAD and an oxygen consumption assay. FAD was reduced in an Ero 1 concentration-dependent manner. Oxygen consumption at 0.1 μM wheat Ero 1 was slow; however, the rate increased with increased Ero 1 concentration. These results indicated that recombinant Ero 1 from wheat has FAD-reducing ability, and utilizes oxygen as a terminal electron accepter in the PDI-Ero 1 system.

　Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was used for analyzing emu and hen egg white proteins. The 78 kDa protein spots of emu and hen egg whites had varied isoelectric points, 9.0 and 6.0, respectively. The protein spot of emu egg white showed 75% homology with the N-terminal region of ovotransferrin from Gallus gallus domesticus (hen). The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) pattern of emu egg white was different from that of hen egg white. In addition, on DSC analysis using purified ovotransferrin from emu egg white, the 2 endothermic peaks were observed at 60℃ and 80℃. This might suggest that emu and hen egg whites contain distinct heat shock (HS) proteins. Moreover, these results suggest the effect of HS proteins on the thermal properties of emu egg white.

　The aim of this study was to develop a new seasoning solution using koji andchitinase preparations as a way to effectively utilize silkworm pupae. Seasoning solutions aged for 90 days contained sufficient amounts of total nitrogen for seasoning purposes; total nitrogen was 1.69 g/100 g in a seasoning solution to which koji was added and 1.70 g/100 g in a seasoning solution to which koji and chitinase were added. Chitinase addition was inferred to increase the amounts of amino acids and peptides; formol nitrogen content was 0.82% in the seasoning solution to which koji alone was added and 0.87% in the seasoning solution to which koji and Chitinase were added. The seasoning solutions from silkworm pupae contained about 2 times more free amino acids than soy sauce, including taurine and 8.5～8.9 times more alanine than soy sauce. The radical scavenging capacity of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) in the seasoning solutions made from silkworm pupae ranged from 172～186 μmol Trolox eq./100 mℓ, which was 2.7 times higher than the radical scavenging capacity of soy sauce. The seasoning solutions contained about 23 mg/100 mℓ GABA, which was 46 times more than soy sauce, and were higher in functionality than soy sauce. The seasoning solutions from silkworm pupae were clear, light brown in color, and suitable for use in processed food.