The effect of sesame seeds (Kumashiba 1 and 738) on the γ-tocopherol concentration was studied in rats and mice fed on a diet containing 5% sesame seeds for 28 d. Both the α-and γ-tocopherol concentrations in the liver, kidney and brain of the rats were higher than those of the mice. Feeding sesame seeds markedly elevated the γ-tocopherol concentrations in the liver, kidney, brain and serum of the rats, and the elevating effect of 738, a new line that contains a high content of lignans, was higher than that of Kumashiba 1. Feeding sesame seeds to mice did not affect the γ-tocopherol concentrations in the liver and serum. Feeding 738 slightly elevated the γ-tocopherol concentrations in the kidney and brain, although these concentrations were lower than those in the rats. The α-tocopherol concentrations in the kidney and brain of rats fed on the diet containing sesame seeds were higher than those of rats fed on the diet without sesame seeds. These data indicate that the elevating effect on tocopherol concentration of sesame seeds was relatively low in mice.

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The deterioration of frozen foods exposed to fluorescent light was investigated by a storage test on heated soybean oil, heated lard and deep-fried cuttlefish. Comparitive tests on the storage stability of these foods were performed with GL-AE and VM-PET film. The soybean oil and lard were each heated to 80, 120 and 180°C for 1 h. Soybean oil stored at 23°C and -20°C showed extremely high sensitivity to the lipid peroxidation induced by fluorescent light. Light irradiation for 30 days of the vacuum-packed soybean oil and lard resulted in a slight increase in peroxidation. The quality of the deep fried cuttlefish coating vacuum-packed with the GL-AE film retained as good a condition as that with metalized aluminium packaging.

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The effect of the penetration of infrared radiation energy into food on the temperature was studied. Model foods of 1.2% agar gel, 1.2% agar + 5% cornstarch gel and fish paste were each irradiated by a halogen heater and two types of ceramic heater. The transient temperature and the temperature profile near the surface of each food model were measured. The experimental results and the thermal diffusivity of a sample were used to estimate the radiation energy applied to the food. The halogen heater affected the heat transfer in the range of 1-3 mm below the surface, while the ceramic heater had no effect deeper than 1mm. It was found that the penetration of near-infrared radiation energy was deeper than that of far-infrared energy, and that increasing penetration accelerated the temperature rise within the food sample.

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Steam convection ovens utilize two types of heating method : convection heating and steam heating. To ascertain the heating efficiency of this type of oven, the heat transfer coefficient was measured with and without steam. In order to determine the cooking efficiency, the temperature increase and moisture loss of a sample potato (φ50 × 20 mm) were measured. The heat transfer coefficient was significantly higher with steam than without steam until the surface temperature of the heated food had reached 100°C. Above this surface temperature, the values with steam and without steam were nearly identical. The rate of increase in the surface temperature of the potato was in proportion to the increase in air temperature and the amount of steam, but the rate of increase in the temperature at the center of the potato did not follow this proportionality. This is believed to have been due to the fact that there was moisture loss from the potato surface at an early stage of heating when the air temperature was above 130°C with steam. On the other hand, when the air temperature was under 130°C with steam, there was no such moisture loss. These results indicate that the steam ratio and air temperature can be adjusted to control the cooking time and moisture content.

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The effect of absorbed moisture at various levels of humidity and under different water conditions was studied on the breaking properties of twelve kinds of commercial noodles differing from each other in the degree of starch gelatinization. When moisture had been absorbed, the noodles consisting of non-gelatinized starch became much softer, while the noodles consisting of gelatinized starch remained hard or became even harder with approximately 15 g of water/100 g of dry matter. The gelatinized noodles were also less soft than the non-gelatinized noodles under limited water conditions which were controlled by water/triethyleneglycol, and a distinct difference in the degree of hardness was apparent between the gelatinized and non-gelatinized noodles at approximately 30 g of water/100 g of dry matter. A positive correlation between the breaking properties (i.e., maximum force and cutting energy) and the degree of starch gelatinization, swelling capacity and viscosity of the noodles was obtained with low moisture absorption.

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The necessity of tenderizing meat for the elderly and complete denture wearers was apparent after evaluating the influence of the hardness of the meat samples on the ease of feeding persons with different chewing capability. Meat samples were tenderized by soaking in a sodium hydrogen carbonate solution and then heat treated by vacuum cooking. The hardness of the meat samples decreased with increasing concentration of sodium hydrogen carbonate in the soaking solution. A sensory test showed that the ease of feeding of persons increased with decreasing hardness of the meat samples, while hydration of the meat protein was increased. The apparent hardness of the meat samples increased with decreasing compression speed, so that the chewing rhythm of complete denture wearers and of the elderly was slower than that of dentate subjects. The results indicate that meat was not sufficiently masticatable as a food for the elderly and the complete denture wearer as compared with the dentate subjects since the compression speed depended on the apparent hardness of the meat samples in this study. The overall results reveal that tenderizing meat by sodium hydrogen carbonate soaking made it easier to feed the elderly and the complete denture wearers.

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Using the Byreck method, both the height reached by the water (h) in the dishcloth above the water level in the reservoir and the mass increase (w) were simultaneously measured, and the results were as follows. The relationship between h and the given time (t) could not be explained by the Washburn-equation in the experiment time range. However, it could be expressed by the following equation proposed by Gillespie in consideration of the distribution of the water : dh/dt=A/h+B, where A and B were the constant. Also, the maximum height of rise could be predicted by this equation. The quotient (w/h) increased rapidly in the early stages of water uptake, and it almost reached an equilibrium value after several minutes. Because the value varied according to the sample, the evaluation of water absorbency only by the height of rise (Byreck method) is doubtful.

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To endow fabrics with an antibacterial property, polyethyleneimine (PEI), which has a strong cationic characteristic, was physically immobilized onto a poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabric and the antibacterial activity of the modified fabric was tested using two methods. Antibacterial modification of the fabric was easily accomplished by simply immersing it in PEI solution for 1 min and the subsequent post-treatment for 3 h at 60°C. The amount of the immobilized cation increased with the molecular weight and the concentration of PEI. Wettability and lubricity of the PET fabric were slightly improved by this PEI adsorption. The PET treated with PEI of molecular weight of 75, 000 at 1 wt% concentration had excellent antibacterial activity for Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, an antibacterial effect of the PET fabric was also observed for Klebsiella pneumoniae and MRSA. The antibacterial activity of the PEI-treated fabric was maintained even after being washed ten times. Two different antibacterial tests indicated that the antibacterial event occurred upon direct contact of the fabric surface with bacteria without any significant fear of destruction of normal flora. A skin irritation test using a cultured human skin model showed the modified fabric to be negative.

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Aiming to clarify the role and problems of respite care for impaired elderlies, we try to understand the effect of the said care. The results of the survey are as follows : 1) The respite care is effective for clients in lower age brackets as well as for those with neurosis of lesser degree, while it is less effective for clients in higher age brackets as well as for those with neurosis of serious degree. Such being the case, the respite care should be the one that would help maintain and enhance good physical and mental conditions. It is to be noted, however, that sufficient considerations must be given to the facilities as well as to the care itself in order to make the system work. 2) It is noted that care effects on the clients affect the caregivers as well. Caregivers will find it easier to continue care at home in case respite care proves effective. 3) Considerations should be given so that clients at the facilities may be able to live and be cared for the way they are at home, which may lessen the stress on clients and caregivers' work.

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