Table grapes, 'Shine Muscat' (Vitis labruscana Bailey) and 'Queen Nina' (Vitis labruscana Bailey), were stored at 5℃ and packaged in three types of films used for modified-atmosphere (MA) packaging. These MA-packaging films differed in O₂ permeability and the quality of material. After storage for a long duration, the aroma volatile contents of the berries were analyzed. The level of linalool, which is the main aroma volatile of 'Shine Muscat', decreased during storage at 5℃ and was higher in the berries stored in MA-packaging than in the control. Esters, such as ethyl acetate and ethyl butyrate, were detected mainly in harvested 'Queen Nina' berries. The level of ethyl acetate was decreased in the control berries, however, it was retained at the same level or higher than that at the time of harvest in MA-packaging. In addition, the level of linalool increased during post-storage conditioning at 15℃ or 20℃ after 4 months of storage in MA-packaging. Thus, we found that the storage of grapes in MA packaging is more suitable for retaining aroma volatiles even after removal of the packaging. Additionally, these aroma volatiles increase during post-storage conditioning after long durations of storage at low temperatures.

　This study investigated the digestibility and prebiotic effects of bolo in rats. We prepared bolo-like baked goods using potato starch and also prepared control baked goods using pregelatinized potato starch, wheat starch, or pregelatinized wheat starch. Male SD rats were divided into groups and fed a diet containing one of the four different starches for 14 days. Rats fed the potato starch exhibited significantly higher fecal wet weight, cecal hypertrophy, and lower pH of cecal contents compared to other groups. These results indicate that the potato starch in bolo was abundant in resistant starch. Rats fed the potato starch also exhibited a significant increase of Bifidobacterium genus in the microbiota suggesting that bolo has prebiotic effects.

　A water-soluble dietary fiber prepared from 20^th century pear pomaces was chemically and biologically characterized. This pear water-soluble dietary fiber mainly contained carbohydrate (approximately 78.1g/100g dry weight), most of which was derived from a water-soluble dietary fiber comprising of uronic acid. The pear water-soluble dietary fiber showed high viscosity (1.88 mPa・s) at 0.5% (w/v) concentration. The blood glucose levels in 1.0% (w/v) water-soluble dietary fiber-treated rats decreased significantly at 30 and 60 min after the administration of maltose solution compared with that observed with controls. These results suggest that the water-soluble dietary fiber of 20^th century pear pomaces delays the increase in postprandial blood glucose levels.

　The light-struck flavor is a beer off-flavor that arises from a riboflavin photooxidation-induced sequential chemical reaction. We measured riboflavin concentration sequentially under light exposure and evaluated the ease of photooxidation in various beer types from a decreasing riboflavin rate. We observed that beer-like beverage, low-malt beer, schwarzbier, amber ale, and barley wine were hard to photooxidize. The initial riboflavin concentration was particularly low in beer-like beverage and low-malt beer, which was suggested to be the main reason for their characteristic of being hard to photooxidize. To evaluate other characteristics, such as antioxidant activity and chromaticity, riboflavin was added to various beer types, and their degree of photooxidation was investigated. Schwarzbier, IPA, barley wine, and stout were hard to photooxidaze upon riboflavin supplementation. We also measured antioxidant activity and chromaticity of various beer types and established a photooxidation correlation coefficient for the antioxidant activity and chromaticity at R＝－0.423 (p＜0.01) and R＝－0.363 (p＜0.01), respectively. These results suggest that riboflavin concentration, antioxidant activity, and chromaticity affect the ease of photooxidation in beers.