We investigated the effect of modified atmosphere (MA) packaging on freshness retention; contents of polymethoxylated flavones (nobiletin, tangeretin, and sinensetin), synephrine, and ascorbic acid; and 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity in unripe green Shiikuwasha (Citrus depressa Hayata) when it was stored at 5, 10 and 25℃, using sealed micro-perforated polypropylene (PP) film bags (film No.1 : oxygen permeability, 160mℓ・bag^－1・day^－1・atm^－1 ; film No.2 : oxygen permeability, 420 mℓ・bag^－1・day^－1・atm^－1). The appearance (greenness) was used as an index of the freshness of fruit; the freshness of fruit stored for 4 months in film No.1 at 5℃, for 3 months in film No.1 at 10℃, and for 1 month in both films (No.1 and No.2) at 25℃ was compared with that of fruit stored for 2 weeks in holed PP film bag. The chemical contents in the fruits investigated at the beginning of storage, were as follows: nobiletin, 419.4 mg/100 g freeze-dried peel; synephrine, 536.4 mg/100 g freeze-dried peel and 25.6 mg/100 mℓ juice; ascorbic acid, 34.4 mg/100 g fresh peel and 9.6 mg/100 mℓ juice. DPPH radical-scavenging activity was 99.4 μm ol-Trolox equivalent/100 g fresh peel. In the fruits stored for 3 months in film No.1, the decrease rate of chemical content in the peel was 23% for nobiletin and 35% for synephrine. Ascorbic acid in the fresh fruits stored for 3 months at 5℃ decreased by 67% for peel and 39% for juice, while DPPH activity of peel decreased by 20%. These data showed that MA packaging using film No.1 at 5℃ was the most suitable condition for storing unripe green Shiikuwasha in terms of freshness retention; contents of polymethoxylated flavones, synephrine, and ascorbic acid; and radical-scavenging activity.

　In order to develop a pericarp color prediction model applicable to different varieties of mature green tomatoes, the CO₂ output rate, C₂H₄ production rate, and pericarp color (a* value) of four tomato varieties (Momotaro, PK331, PK353 and KGM011) were investigated during the storage of tomato at 25°C. Momotaro and PK331 are normal lines, PK353 is a rin (ripening inhibitor) mutant line, and KGM011 is an F 1 hybrid line between PK331 and PK353. Time course analysis revealed the significant effect of the different varieties and individual tomato samples on the monitored parameters. However, changes in the pericarp color of the different varieties of tomato, except PK353, correlated well with the cumulative ethylene production. Consequently, a mathematical model for predicting the pericarp color of each individual sample on the basis of its cumulative ethylene production was developed as a sigmoid-type function. Calculation results obtained by using the model and by considering all the data of three varieties －all the varieties other than PK353－showed a high correlation coefficient (R²＝0.97). Therefore, there appear to be a possibility of developing a method involving the use of the model with cumulative ethylene production as a variable for predicting changes in the pericarp color of tomato fruits of all varieties.

　Nutrient content and the degree of protein denaturation in mechanically defatted soybean meal, which was the residue from mechanical extraction of soybean oil were estimated, and soybean milk was made from the defatted flour. ①Mechanical defatting of the soybean meal, led to reduction in the quantity of the soybean meal by almost half and caused a marked decrease in its lipid content. Protein, carbohydrate, and mineral contents in the mechanically defatted soybean meal were higher by approximately 10～20% than the corresponding contents in a whole soybean meal. Energy value of the mechanically defatted soybean flour was376kcal/100 g, and this value was lower by 20% than that in the whole soybean meal (477kcal/100 g). ②Solubility testing and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that the proteins in the mechanically defatted soybean meal treated under non-heating condition had denatured to a lesser degree that those in the meal treated under heating condition and in a commercial defatted soybean meal. ③Compared to the soybean milk made from the whole soybean meal, the soybean milk made from the mechanically defatted soybean meal showed lesser brightness, slightly lower degree Brix, and higher viscosity. ④These results indicate that the mechanically defatted soybean meal prepared under non-heating condition is suitable for preparing food materials such as soybean beverages.