I would like to express my opinion on the above subject, referring to the responses of the Japan Home Economics Association to the inquiry of the International Federation of Home Economics.
1. The Object of Home Economics
The study of the home life is the center of Home Economics, and we extend the study to the social affairs which have close relations with the family life.
2. Contents and Method
(1) Home Economics is the study on the interaction between man and his environment.
(2) Home Economics is an applied and synthetic science.
3. Aims
The study of Home Economics before the War was centered on technology. Since the end of the War the Home Economics study has centered its scope on the improvement of the family life, and recently the human development has become one of the themes of the Home Economics study.

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We have studied inversion of cane sugar by polyphosphates. The results of the study are as follows :
The polyphosphates, the ratio of Na₂O to P₂O₅ of which is less than 1 and greater than 0 (they are called “ultra” polyphosphate), can invert cane sugar, but polyphosphates in other range of the ratio cannot.
The yield of invert sugar treated with “ultra” polyphosphate increases in proportion to the amount of additives, temperature applied, and length of time of heating.
The yield of invert sugar treated with “ultra” polyphosphate gradually increases without heating even if left at room temperature for some time.
In cases where the same amount of additives are employed, the additive with lower pH produces more inversion, although little inversion is made in the soy.

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Experiments were carried out to learn the relation between the components of food and the amount of salt that permeated into the food.
Eggwhite gel and starch gel which contain the water (60, 70, 80, 90%) were prepared as samples. Each sample was soaked in 2% sodium chloride solution for 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 hours respectively.
The following results were obtained :
(1) The amount of absorbed salt was higher in the sample which has the larger water content.
(2) The amount of salt permeated into the starch gel was higher than that permeated into the eggwhite gel.
In addition to the above experiment, certain foods on the market were selected as the samples in order to obtain the amount of salt permeated during the cooking. The result showed that the food containing higher amount of water absorbed more salt in general.

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Effects of quick freezing of starch rich foods on their paste characteristics were investigated. Flour pastes and roux were frozen at -50-50°C. After being stored at -20°C, they were thawed and the starch gelatinization ratios were determined by the enzymatic digestion method with glyco-amylase. The breaking strength and the firmness of gel were measured by the curd tension meter. The syneresis of gel was also determined.
The following results were obtained.
No significant difference was observed between the starch gelatinization ratios of pastes which were frozen at various temperatures and of unfrozen one. The values of breaking strength, firmness, and the syneresis ratio increased by freezing. The higher the freezing temperature was, the greater these increases were.
The difference between the paste which was frozen at the lowest temperature and then thawed and that which was not frozen was definitely recognized by the sensory test.

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Texgran is a source of protein that is produced from soybean protein. It can be cooked taking the place of meat. It is inexpensive, and is cooked highly effectively. However, through the investigation of its essential amino acids construction it has been found that the sulfur-containing amino acids are limited and protein score of texgran is 58 ; accordingly its nutritive value of protein is inferior to the animal protein. In order to use it effectively in our diet as a substitute for animal foods, these limiting amino acids should be supplemented.
On the other hand, effective use of texgran will improve Japanese diet from the viewpoint of protein nutrition because it contains more lysine than cereals do and more tryptophan than fish and shellfish do. Actually it is advisable to use texgran as a principal source of protein and supplement a small amount of animal foods with high methionine content. Particularly it is practical to include texgran and eggs together in a menu to raise the protein score of the diet.

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The effect of the pretreatment of “Kanpyo” (dried strips of gourd) with salt on cooking was studied by measuring the tensile and breaking strength by Food Reorneter and Curdmeter. At the same time, sugar which came out in the washing water, in the soaking water, and in the cooking water was directly and quantitatively analyzed by the modified Somogyi method.
The result showed that the swelling of “Kanpyo” was most noticeable when treated with salt, then soaked in water. The swelling in terms of weight showed 10 times the original. The tensile and breaking strength decreased and took less time to cook.
When “Kanpyo” was rubbed together with hand without salt, the absorption of water during soaking in plain water was better, but it did not affect the tensile and breaking strength of “Kanpyo”.
It seems that the addition of salt gives great effect on the tensile and breaking strength of “Kanpyo”. For when cooked in 0.5% salt solution without previous salt treatment, the cookingtime was shortened.
In order to keep all the sugar content of “Kanpyo”, the washing and the treatment with salt before cooking must be done quickly if not the sugar content is lost in the water. The water in which “Kanpyo” was soaked and the water in which “Kanpyo” was cooked must be considered in the cooking.

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It seems quite certain that Rubiaceae roots are one of the oldest plants used as dye material both in Europe and in the Orient. However there are some noticeable differences between madder and AKANE. Such differences, which are made by the difference in the chemical composition, are especially notable in the color on the dyed cloth, namely the madder makes real red color, whereas Japanese AKANE produces orange but never red color.
We have determined that Chinese AKANE contains predominantly purpurin and munjistin. Based upon the chemical analyses, four kinds of plant, madder, Indian madder, Chinese and Japanese AKANE were used respectively to dye silk sample cloths. The cloths dyed with the madder extracts showed red color as expressed by C.I.E. color formula and are very resistant to the sunlight and also to washing in comparison with those dyed with AKANE roots.
It seems that these differences in dyeing properties attribute to pseudopurpurin and alizarin found in madder roots but not in AKANE.

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In spite of long time storage over 1300 years, some of very old dyed textiles still seem to maintain beautiful color. Among others, red colored silk fabrics known as Horyujigire, which are believed to be the product of China in the 7th century, and the red string attached to a famous armor of the 12th century, both maintaining their clear red color, were examined with regard to the dyestuff and color as well.
To identify the dyestuff used on these textiles, it is considered to be necessary to extract the dyestuffs directly from the dyed fabrics, not from plant tissue. In view of this we prepared silk cloths dyed with Rubeaceae roots, sapan wood, safflower, Rhizophoraceae wood and Texaceae wood.
By paperchromatographic analyses we have found that the above two old fabrics would contain madder or chay root dyes. This conclusion seems to be in agreement with the result of the investigation by means of organic chemistry.
Color fastness tests against the sunlight and washing on those cloths also showed that madder was more resistant than the others.

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Soiling and desoiling properties of fabrics (cotton, polyethylene-terephthalate and polypropylene) in the dispersion of ferric oxinate soil in the surfactant solution (fatty acid soap, Na-ABS, Na-LAS Na dodecylsulphate and polyoxyethylene condensate of nonylphenolether) have been investigated.
Samples were soiled under mild oscillation of soil/surfactant solution/fabric system at constant temperature until the establishment of the equilibrium of adhesion of the soil.
Main results obtained were as follows :
(1) Degree of soiling (adhesion) was affected by the concentration of the surfactant and a characteristic maximum and minimum was observed in the dilute region.
(2) Desoiling properties of artificially soiled fabrics at different concentrations of the surfactants investigated also showed the existence of maximum and minimum in each combination of soil/ fabric/surfactant.
(3) The definite interpretation of the maxima or minima at a certain concentration of the surfactant in connection with soiling and desoiling is not given at present. However, it is clear that the degree of soiling in an extremely dilute surfactant solution (0.005 0.05wt %) exceeds that in water

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For the purpose of finding the effect of gathering on each of warp, woof, and bias threads on the shape of skirts, the experiments were carried out from the standpoint of clothing construction, using 1/2 size models of actual gather-skirts and other simplified styles.
The results showed that there were differences in the features of the shape of the skirt having gathering in different threads of the fabric as mentioned above.

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From histochemical observation of boiled soybeans expelled into the faeces of 26 infants ages from four months to four years and four months, the following results have been obtained.
1. The soybean cells in the faeces are markedly swollen and the cell walls partly broken andfaded.
2. Protein and polysaccharide in the cell disappear from the outer layer of the cell contentsfirst, while a part of protein and polysaccharide seems to slip out of the cell.
3. The age when fat in the soybean cells disappears is younger than that when protein andpolysaccharide do.
4. Infants' ability in digesting soybeans seems to increase with age, though some individuality of the ability is observed.

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