Succinic acid is mainly synthesized by chemical methods. However, alternative production methods such as fermentative production in biomass are desirable. Metabolically engineered lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are being increasingly recognized as novel producers of useful compounds. Among LAB, Lactobacillus plantarum NCIMB 8826 is an interesting candidate that can be used for succinic acid production by metabolic engineering since it has an incomplete tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. We examined if the overexpression of heterologous pyruvate carboxylase (PC) could improve the metabolic flux from glycolysis to the reductive TCA cycle in a lactate dehydrogenase-deficient strain of Lb. plantarum NCIMB 8826 (VL103). We investigated the effects of the overexpression of PC from Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032 and PC from Lactococcus lactis IL1403 on the succinic acid production in Lb. plantarum VL103. Lb. plantarum VL103 expressing Lc. lactis IL1403-PC showed a succinic acid production similar to Lb. plantarum VL103. The highest yield of succinic acid was obtained through overexpression of PC from C. glutamicum ATCC 13032 in Lb. plantarum VL103. This recombinant strain produced a 19.9-fold higher amount of succinic acid than the Lb. plantarum VL103 and converted 22.0% of glucose to succinic acid.

　Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. Italica Group) senesces rapidly after harvest at room temperature. Ethanol vapor treatment with ethanol pads effectively delays senescence at 20℃. We investigated the effects of storage temperature on the efficacy of vapor treatment with ethanol pads to suppress senescence. Broccoli branchlets were placed in a perforated polyethylene bag with or without (control) a 3-g ethanol pad and stored at 25, 20, 15, 10, and 5℃ in the dark. Ethanol treatment delayed yellowing of the broccoli at all temperatures tested except for 5℃. Shelf life of broccoli stored at 15 to 25℃ and at 10℃ was significantly prolonged by ethanol treatment (～1.8- and 1.3-fold, respectively), and there was no effect of ethanol treatment at 5℃. Furthermore, ethanol treatment was effective for maintaining broccoli composition without negative impact, although the effectiveness varied depending on the temperature and composition. Ethanol treatment reduced weight loss and suppressed the decrease in total ascorbic acid, protein, and total sugar content after harvest under storage temperatures of 15 to 25℃, 10 to 25℃, 10 to 25℃, and 20 to 25℃, respectively. These findings indicate the potential applicability of ethanol vapor treatment with ethanol pads to effectively prolong the shelf life of broccoli at a wide range of ambient temperatures.

　In the process of preparation of shiraboshi, the boiled-dried adductor muscles of scallop, excessive browning of the muscle during drying process reduces the commodity value of the product. In this study, one of the compounds responsible for the browning reaction was identified. Gel-filtration chromatographic analysis following the browning reaction using sugars having varied chain lengths indicated that, the sugars with low molecular mass, such as the monosaccharides, are the predominant candidates responsible for browning. In the presence of the amino acid, the browning was enhanced. Additionally, use of sugars phosphorylated at C-6, such as D-glucose 6-phosphate (G6P) and D-fructose 6-phosphate (F6P), deepened the browning amongst the various sugars and the sugar phosphates examined. G6P occurs upstream/towards the beginning of the glycolytic pathway, which appears to be triggered during the postmortem changes in scallop. In the experimental shiraboshi production, soaking in G6P prior to the drying process accelerates the browning of the adductor muscle. Consequently, G6P levels in the adductor muscle of scallop influence the appearance of shiraboshi products.

　To examine the possibility of using guava fruits as an ingredient in daily-use ketchup with food functionality, we prepared purees of eight pink guavas that were obtained from different areas in Okinawa and their chemical and physical compositions by measuring the Brix, pH, and color. The eight kinds of guava purees showed little difference in their compositions, Brix, pH, and color values. In addition, the purees maintained their color values after heating at 80℃ for 5 min. The guava puree was then treated with pectinase to decrease the puree viscosity. The viscosity of the puree treated with pectinase (0.24 Pa・s) was lower than that of the untreated puree (0.6 Pa・s). The guava ketchup was prepared using the untreated guava puree. In the sensory evaluation, the guava ketchup scored low for sourness because the citric acid content was lower than that in the commercial tomato ketchups. To evaluate the antioxidant activity, guava ketchups prepared using guava purees with and without pectinase treatment (GK-P and GK, respectively) were examined for total polyphenol contents and DPPH radical-scavenging activities. The total polyphenol content and DPPH radical-scavenging activities were higher in guava ketchups than in the commercial tomato ketchups. Interestingly, GK-P showed significantly higher radical-scavenging activity than GK. These results suggest that guava fruits have the potential to be used in the manufacturing of ketchup, which could serve as an antioxidant food.

　In this study, we quantified the components eluted during the Ann manufacturing process and determined whether any components can be reused. On the basis of the elution characteristics of each processing step, most of the eluted components were present in the boiled water from shibukiri and niage. In shibukiri-mizu, polyphenols accounted for most of the elution components; thus, this product might be considered as a polyphenol-containing beverage. In Adzuki bean-coats subjected to wet milling coupled with high-pressure grinding treatment, the strip-shaped group of fibers was not visible, and the rod-like fibers were suspended in the water as a paste. Panelists evaluated and scored the different intensities between a standard sample and 6 mixed gels of agar and starch-milled Adzuki bean-coats. In the sensory evaluation, panelists recognized texture differences among the samples but disliked these gels as a soft dessert.