Goishi tea, a post fermented tea, is produced in Otoyo town, Kochi Prefecture, Japan. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the aroma-active components in Goishi tea by aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA) using gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) and identify the microorganisms involved in the fermentation process to further understand the aroma formation. Based on AEDA in GC-O, profiles of various aromatic compounds in Goishi tea were analyzed. Hexanoic acid had the highest flavor dilution (FD) value, followed by furfural, furaneol, and ethyl furaneol. Three microorganisms, namely, Aspergillus niger, Pichia manshurica, and Lactobacillus plantarum were isolated and identified based on their rDNA sequences. We prepared post fermented tea using these microorganisms, and the aromatic extract from each tea was investigated to assess the relationship between aroma formation and the microorganism. Ethyl furaneol and thiazoline compounds produced by A. niger were detected in post fermented tea. Ester, alcohol, and phenolic compounds including 4-ethylphenol and 4-ethyl-2-methoxyphenol were detected in the tea with P. manshurica. L. plantarum produced organic acids such as hexanoic and butanoic acids and lactone. Thus, all the three strains, A. niger, P. manshurica, and L. plantarum contributed considerably to aroma formation in Goishi tea.

　The quality of green coffee beans is affected by various steps in the manufacturing process, including cultivation, refinement, packaging, shipping, and storage. This study focused on the changes in parameters, including packaging material, shipping method, and storage during the distribution process of green coffee beans from the country of origin to Japan. Standard commercial coffee (CO) beans are packaged in gunny sack (GS), shipped in a dry container (DC), and stored in a normal temperature warehouse (NTW). However, the flavor of CO coffee beans often deteriorates. Thus, measures must be undertaken to ensure the high quality of specialty coffee (SP) beans. In the present study, Columbian SP coffee beans were divided into vacuum packaging (VP) and gunny suck (GS), shipped either in a reefer container (RC) or dry container (DC), and stored in a constant temperature warehouse (15℃) or normal temperature warehouse. The sensory evaluation results obtained by analyzing the changes in parameters such as total lipid content, acid value and pH on arrival after6and12months helped in determining appropriate methods for the quality maintenance of green coffee beans. These results suggest that green coffee beans enclosed in VP, imported in a RC, and stored at CTW showed minimal decrease in lipid content, and minimal increases in acid values and lower pH values as compared to those packaged in gunny sack, shipped in a DC, and stored at NTW. Significant changes in parameters and their positive correlation with sensory evaluation results were achieved. Thus, this study demonstrated the importance of packaging, shipping, and storage in an environment unaffected by oxygen, temperature and humidity for proper quality maintenance of green coffee beans.

　We thought of using black soybean in foods and tried making miso with it. Black soybean miso had a strong taste and functionality. The total nitrogen content of black soybean miso was 2% and that of yellow soybean miso was 1.83%. Protein content was 11.42% in black soybean miso and 10.45% in the yellow soybean miso, showing that black soybean miso had more total nitrogen and protein content. It was inferred that formol nitrogen and free amino acids were higher in black soybean miso, and black soybean miso contained more peptides and amino acids. The total sugar content and the amount of direct reducing sugar were slightly higher in yellow soybean miso. The acidities Ⅰ and Ⅱ and the content of organic acids and basic amino acids was higher in black soybean miso. Yellow soybean miso had more of calcium and magnesium, while black soybean miso contained more potassium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc. Black soybean miso had somewhat higher amount of γ-aminobutyric acid. Also, it had a slightly higher amount of polyphenol. Antioxidant activity was high in both the miso.

　The interrelation between variations in sugarcane juice contents and the qualities of non-centrifugal brown sugar, "Kokuto", was investigated during the production period of Kokuto in 2014 and 2015. Large variations were observed in sugarcane juice contents, including the reducing sugar ratio, amino acid, organic acid, and sodium contents. Many components of sugarcane juice and Kokuto were positively correlated. Therefore, the component of sugarcane juice, sugarcane, was shown to be reflected in the contents of Kokuto. The apparent sugar purity of sugarcane juice was correlated with the hardness, moisture, and water activity of Kokuto. As a result, it was suggested that management of the apparent sugar purity during the production process is important for stabilizing the quality of Kokuto. Taste sensor measurement values showed a large fluctuation in the saltiness of Kokuto. "Salty taste" was positively correlated with the acetic acid, sodium, and calcium contents, but negatively correlated with the amino acid content of sugarcane juice.