The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of pregelatinized brown rice on cholesterol metabolism in obesity using Zucker fatty (ZF) rats. Six-week-old male ZF rats and their lean littermates were divided into four experimental groups; (1) Lean: Zucker lean rats fed the AIN93G; (2) Control: ZF rats fed the AIN93G; (3) WR: ZF rats fed the AIN93G in which cornstarch was replaced with pregelatinized white rice; (4) BR: ZF rats fed the AIN93G in which cornstarch was replaced with pregelatinized brown rice. The rats were fed each diet for 10 weeks. Significant decreases in serum and hepatic cholesterol levels were observed in the WR and BR groups compared with the control group. In particular, this cholesterol-lowering effect was more remarkable for the BR than WR group. Gene expression of HMG-CoA reductase was significantly increased in the WR and BR groups relative to the control group. In addition, CYP7A1m RNA levels showed a significant increase in the BR compared with the WR group. Our results indicate that pregelatinized brown rice has a serum cholesterol-lowering effect in obesity.

　Not only gluten but also gliadin plays an important role in improving the baking quality of wheat. The property changes and bread improving effects resulting from the formation of S-S bonds were analyzed by investigating the action of PDI-ERO1on Glia A. Although the time required to form wheat flour dough is short and the gas-leakage rate from the dough was reduced, the addition of non-treated Glia A to the dough did not have a significant effect on the specific volume of bread. Dough containing TaPDI-TaERO1-treated Glia A has a higher extent of S-S bond formation and a reduced gas-leakage rate than that containing non-treated Glia A; moreover, the specific volume of the bread significantly increased compared to that formed by dough containing non-treated Glia A. TaPDI processing increased intramolecular S-S bond formation in gliadin, and hence, decreased the surface hydrophobicity of Glia A. To confirm the effect of gliadin on dough formation and baking quality, it is suggested that surface hydrophobicity of gliadin has a large influence on the baking quality.

　The purpose of this study was to evaluate color and cyanogenic compounds of raw and boiled petals of edible peaches (Momo) and ornamental peaches (Hanamomo). Petals were boiled by the following method; ① boiling for 5 min in 5 % citric acid; ② cooling for 5 min in water; ③ boiling for 5 min in hot water; ④ cooling for 5 min in water. Based on a comparison of the a* values of raw and boiled Hanamomo and Momo petals, Hanamomo petals were determined to be more bright pink than Momo petals. Raw petals contain prunasin, a type of cyanogenic glycoside; prunasin content was 4,681 and 4,372 ppm in Momo and Hanamomo petals, respectively. However, after boiling, prunasin content decreased significantly to less than 5.6 and 2.7 ppm in Momo and Hanamomo petals, respectively. The results of qualitative tests for free cyanide in both boiled petals were negative. Furthermore, a toxicity study was performed using a sample of a 10 mg/kg single dose and provided evidence that boiled Hanamomo petals were safe for eating. Boiled Hanamomo petals retain their pink color for 90 days at 25 ℃ in 1% citric acid wrapped in silver paper packaging under light shielding. These results suggest that boiled Hanamomo petals can be used as food materials.

　The aim of this study was to establish a novel method to assess the function of food components using fluorescently labeling strategies. In this report, we focused on olive polyphenol hydroxytyrosol (HT) as a target of fluorescent labelling. HT, one of the major polyphenols present in olive leaf and oil, is known to possess a high antioxidant and anticancer capacity. HT was conjugated with FITC to the phenolic hydroxyl group (FITC-HT). Caco-2 cells were cultured on glass bottom dishes, and then incubated with 500 μm of FITC-HT for 24 hours and subsequently incubated with LysoTracker Red (Lysosome marker) or MitoTracker Red (Mitochondria marker) with Hoechst 33342 (Nuclei marker). Thereafter, using KEYENCE BZ-X700 Series All-in-one Fluorescence Microscope, the imaging data was acquired. As a result, FITC-HT was detected in the lysosome but not in the mitochondria and nuclei of Caco-2. And, FITC and fluorescein were not detected in the Caco-2 cells, suggested this imaging data of FITC-HT is dependent on the formula of HT. Thereafter, we concluded that cellular imaging using fluorescent labeled food compounds is a powerful tool to analyze the effect of functional food constituents.