The damage (abrasion) and vibration characteristics of 5-layer stacked Japanese radishes in a triple-wall fiberboard box under sinusoidal vibration (2, 10, 15, 20, and 30Hz, 0.6G) were investigated here. The influence of packaging conditions on the vibration characteristics was also examined. A larger damage area ratio and positional changes were found at a vibration frequency of 10-20Hz. The peak frequencies of the acceleration transmissibility and the rotation angle were close to 10 and 15Hz, respectively. A positive correlation between the damage area ratio of the upper layer of Japanese radish and acceleration transmissibility (r²＝0.92), as well as between the rotation angle and the fifth layer (r²＝0.66), was observed. Tight wrapping, using an inner bag, lowered the acceleration transmissibility and rotation angle at the peak frequency. The peak frequency of the acceleration transmissibility and the rotation angle differed depending on the floor materials used (corrugated fiberboard, polypropylene ［PP］ sheet, polyethylene foam sheet). Because the rotation angle tended to increase when a2-mm thick PP sheet was used, as compared to that when other floor materials were used, use of the former material should be avoided. Overall, it is important to choose the appropriate packaging material (inner bag and floor material) depending on the purpose for use and the transport conditions. In addition, an index that combines the acceleration transmissibility and the rotation angle may be useful to estimate the damage to Japanese radish during bulk container distribution.

　A mathematical model and computational algorithm were developed for simulation of O₂, CO₂, N₂, and water vapor exchange in perforated-film modified atmosphere packaging as a means of determining optimal packaging conditions for dynamic distribution environments that involve changes in temperature and humidity. The computational results obtained using the algorithm were validated experimentally. The mathematical model includes the phenomena of convection and diffusion through the film perforations. In the computational algorithm, the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere outside the package are read at intervals of Δt and the volume and concentration of O₂, CO₂, N₂, and water vapor inside the package, together with cumulative transpiration, CO₂ evolution, and water vapor condensation, are computed. Some differences were observed between the computed and experimentally measured values of O₂ and CO₂ concentrations and the changes in sample weight. Nonetheless, the results of the computation, based on the algorithm, were generally in good agreement with the experimental results, which were thereby validated. The above-mentioned differences were attributable to increase in the effective permeability of a perforation due to airflow outside the package, which was not included in the computational assumption related to intraperforation diffusion. Further improvement can be achieved by adjusting the effective permeability of the perforation for the external atmospheric flow.

　Phloroglucinol oxidase (PhO) was purified from broccoli. The purified enzyme appeared as a single band by SDS-PAGE. The enzyme was purified about 80-fold with a recovery rate of 26%. The estimated molecular weight of the enzyme was 63 kDa and 65 kDa, obtained by SDS PAGE and gel filtration, respectively. The purified enzyme oxidized phloroglucinol (1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene) with a K_m value of 11 mM. Peroxidase (POD) activity was also present in the enzyme preparation which was purified about 33-fold with a recovery rate of 11%. The PhO and POD showed highest activities at pH8.0 and pH7.0, respectively. The activities of PhO and POD were stable between pH5.0 and 10.0 at 5℃ for 20h. The optimum temperature was 60℃ for PhO and 20℃ for POD. The activities of PhO and POD were strongly inhibited by sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, KCN, L-ascorbic acid, chlorogenic acid, and hydroquinone at 1m M.

　This study examined the influences of atmosphere received streamer discharge on maintaining the quality and controlling microorganisms of vegetables (14 items) and fruits (6 items). In this study, 2 treatment conditions were compared to a control condition under storage temperature at 20℃ : -Control: Normal air, -Treatment I: Streamer discharge atomosphere, -Treatment II: Air containing ozone (0.1 ppm). Parsley, myoga ginger (Zingiber mioga Rosc.), spinach, eggplant, small tomatoes, cucumber, lemon, orange, sudachi (Citrus sudachi Hort.), and cherries showed less change in appearance during 3 days storage. Green onion, lettuce, and garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) demonstrated wilting, and bean sprouts decayed by the second day. There was no difference in these observations among the control and the 2 treatment conditions for any of the 14 items. Perilla (shiso, Perilla frutescens Britt.), bell peppers, haricot beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), Kyoho grapes, and Delaware grape did not differ in appearance between the control and treatment I during 3 days storage. However, with treatment II, the following changes were identified and quality loss was obvious: perilla developed brown spots, bell peppers showed browning of the calyx, haricot beans demonstrated browning, Kyoho and Delaware grape shows browning of the peduncle. Florets of broccoli (Brassica oleraces var. botrytis) in control and treatment II developed yellowing, an increase in the number of microorganisms and contents of free amino acids, and decrease in the contents of ascorbic acid and chlorophyll, in contrast, treatment I delayed these changes on broccoli florets.

　This study aimed to determine the effects of high-pressure treatment (10—100MPa) on the germination rate of kidney bean seeds. As compared to non-high-pressure treatment, high-pressure treatment increased the germination rates at 24 h after water absorption. However, germination rates at 48h after water absorption were lower in the high-pressure treatment condition or during prolonged high-pressure treatment condition than in the non-high-pressure treatment condition. The water-absorption rate of kidney bean seeds was considerably accelerated by high-pressure treatment (10MPa, 60s). Furthermore, the amylase activity was higher in kidney beans subjected to high-pressure treatment than in those subjected to non-high-pressure treatment. The results led to the conclusion that the high germination rate of kidney beans subjected to high-pressure treatment greatly depended on the acceleration of water absorption by high-pressure treatment.