The effect of dietary fiber prepared from raw and fried carrot on the availability of minerals was examined in rats. Dietary fibers were prepared from raw and fried carrot by dehydrating with acetone and defatting with ether. The dietary fibers prepared contained 25-27% NDF on dry bases. Young rats were fed one of the diets containing dietary fiber from raw or fried carrot, or a cellulose-control diet for 2 weeks. Ca and Mg in the diets, feces and urine collected for the last 3 days of the feeding period, were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Wet weight of feces in the raw dietary fiber diet group was about two times that of other groups. Also, the length of the large intestine was significantly increased by the raw dietary fiber diet. The absorption of Ca and Mg in the raw dietary fiber diet group (22-30%) was significantly lower than that of other groups (40-50%). These results suggest that the quality of carrot dietary fiber is changed by frying, and the physiological effect of fried carrot dietary fiber is different from that of raw carrot dietary fiber.

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The conventional and quantitative method for determination of dispersed state after swelling (degree of fragmentation) of starch granules was studied using corn starch. Subsequently, the degree of fragmentation for some kinds of starch gel and paste were measured with the method.
The adopted method was as follows : powder sample were suspended in water and measured turbidity (100-transmittance at 530 nm) on the instant (A) and after 100 min standing (B) at 30°C. The logarithm of the relative turbidity (B/A) of standard samples were plotted as function of fragmentation, that was decided according to treated temperature of the samples, for determination of standard curve. The degree of fragmentation for unknown sample were drawned by the relative turbidity of the sample being applied to the standard curve.
Breaking property of starch gel was related to the degree of fragmentation. Gels which were 7 and 10% of starch concentration were needed 95 and 89 in degree of fragmentation respectively for a firm gel structure. High speed heating of starch paste was developed larger quantities of fine fragment per second than that of low speed heating.

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The characteristic flavor of Karami-daikon, a cultivar of radish used for pungent condiment, was studied by comparing with that of other radishes used widely. The results are summarized as follows :
1) The tail of commercial radishes showed stronger pungent and bitter tastes than its head. On the other hand, the two parts showed opposite properties in the strength of sweet and umami tastes.
2) The pungent and bitter tastes of grated Karami-daikon were stronger, and umami and sweet tastes were weaker than those in the tail of commercial radishes.
3) The content of (E) -4-methylthio-3-butenylisothiocyanate, a main pungent component in Karami-daikon, was much higher than that of other radishes. The contents of water and reducing sugar were lower, and those of calcium and magnesium were higher in Karami-daikon than those of other radishes.
4) The pungent taste was clearly decreased during 60 min, and its taste became milder by adding salt, vinegar, soy sauce and a mixture of these seasonings.

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To determine the effect of the bones on the palatability of the cooked chicken meat, we steam-cooked the meat and investigated the merits of cooking with bones.
The results are as follows :
1) Cooking rate of the chicken meat with bones was more slow at a lower temperature than that without bones.
2) The firmness determined with the texturometer is as follows : the meat with bones was significantly soft, which coincided with the results of the sensory test. The meat without bones heated in the same conditions as that with bones showed no difference in firmness.
3) In determination of the residual weight, the meat with bones proved to be juicy and tasty, but there was no evident difference in “Umami.”
4) In the microscopic observation, the gaps between the muscle cells of the meat with bones was wider, which suggests its relation with firmness.
In conclusion, the chicken meat is better cooked with bones, and an attention should be paid to the internal temperature at the final stage of cooking and the heating rate when it is cooked without bones.

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A survey was made with 10 male and 10 female students on the way how they chose foods and used these foods to prepare meals.
1) During cooking, female students checked the taste, controlled the heat, cut, drained and squeezed foods and used seasoning more frequently than male students. Male students fried foods and frequently referred to the recipe.
2) Female students cooked and prepared several foods alternately and simultaneously more often than male students. More female students disposed of garbage and put kitchen utensils in order before they completed the cooking. These facts suggest that female students prepare meal in more organized manner and with a strategy similar to simultaneous scanning.
3) Male students cut foods with less cutting variety and in the latter part of cooking process than female students. Male students tended to use the food which could be prepared with cutting only or in the other one step. These facts suggest that the selection of foods is limited to the extent of cooking skill.
4) The results of principal component analysis showed that the manner of cutting food, seasoning and the frequency of alteration between dishes being prepared could be an index of cooking ability.

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To clarify the origin of Japanese dishes, meal-plans were surveyed for formal banquets held for Korean ambassador and Imperial envoys by the Edo government between 1682 and 1825.
Sixty-eight samples of meal-plans were obtained from old manuscripts. Based on the number of soups and dishes, their samples were classified into 14 categories, from Shichigosan (4 soups and 21 dishes) to Icnijyuyonsai (1 soup and 4 dishes); categories were differentiated according to the purposes of banquets and the status and rank of guests. By further analysis, the following six factors were found to affect the hierarchy of categories : (1) number of trays, and of soups and dishes, served to each guest first; (2) number of trays, soups and dishes, served thereafter; (3) kind of foodstuffs; (4) variety and service of sweets; (5) variety of materials composing trays and vessels; (6) arrangement of trays and vessels. Factor (1) was found to be the main factor in planning a banquet, all others were secondary.
In summary, the relation between categories of meal-plans for Edo banquets was clarified with respect to the purpose of the banquet and the status and rank of guests. In addition, six factors affecting the meal-plan were extracted, shedding further light on the selection process for meal-plans.

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Deposition onto the cloths of the exchanged Zeolite and the effect of the particle size of Zeolites in the dispersion system were investigated by using the artificially prepared Ca-Zeolite (Ca-Z) and Mg-Zeolite (Mg-Z).
Main results obtained are summarized as follows :
1) In aqueous Zeolites suspension, the mean particle size of three kinds of Zeolite decreased in the order of Mg-Z > Ca-Z > Na-Z.
In hard water less than 30°DH, the particle size of Na-Z was increased in Mg-containing hard water more than Ca-containing hard water remarkably.
2) In aqueous solutions, with and without surfactant, the deposited amount of Zeolites on cloths decreased in the order of Mg-Z > Ca-Z > Na-Z.
3) After Na-Zeolites were added in Ca or Mg-containing hard water than 20°DH, the deposited amount of Zeolites on cloths increased remarkably in Mg-containing hard water.
4) It was observed that the amount of Zeolites deposited on the cloths and particle size behavior in dispersion system were in good agreement.

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Somatometric measurements were carried out on 88 middle or advanced females and the new concept of apparent leanness/obesity was examined. The results were as follows :
1) The subjects were classified into 5 clusters by cluster analysis using 17 variables after the transformation of measurements to eliminate body size factor. Gained clusters were considered to accord with the “apparent leanness/obesity, ” which represented how lean or how obese a human body's appearance was.
2) The transformed variables of bust girth and upper-arm girth were found highly effective to the classification.
3) It was reaffirmed that “apparent leanness/obesity” had no direct and close relation with subcutaneous fat thicknesses. Therefore it was considered that the concept of apparent leanness/obesity had a definite meaning different from leanness/obesity in the other fields of study.
4) According to the degree of apparent leanness/obesity from lean to obese, characteristics of the body shape were changed as follows : stature became lower, trunk and upper limb became thicker, and weight became heavier. Bust girth and waist girth increased relative to the hip girth. Neck girth decreased in comparison with girth in the trunk segment. The girth in the distal part of upper limb decreased in comparison with the girth in the proximal part.

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[in Japanese]

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