In 2013, traditional Japanese cuisine, or washoku, was registered as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. The degree of attention to Japanese food has further increased around the world. Traditional Japanese cuisine has four main characteristics: washoku uses fresh ingredients and it is well-balanced, good-looking and an important part of annual events. It is notable that washoku is a healthy diet and has contributed to the longevity of Japanese people. Obviously, use of the Umami compounds such as glutamate and nucleic acid-relating substances, extracted from natural ingredients such as "kombu kelp” and "katsuobushi (dried bonito)” contributes to the deliciousness and healthiness of washoku. In addition to these compounds, fermented seasonings play an important role in the taste of Japanese cuisine by adding the other Umami components, such as amino acids other than glutamate, and peptides.

　There are many breweries of fermented seasonings such as miso, soy sauce, vinegar, and mirin in Aichi prefecture. And they have had a great impact on Japanese food culture. In this article I focused on the variety of fermented seasonings in Aichi and their history, process for making, characteristics and functionality.

　Sushi did not become the staple food we eat today, with its vinegared rice and toppings eaten together known as hayazushi (fast sushi), until the mid-Edo period. Prior to this, sushi was usually fermented using lactic acid fermentation. As fermented sushi evolved from honnare (fully fermented sushi), to namanare (partially fermented sushi), to kairyō namanare (improved partially fermented sushi), the fermentation period became shorter. From namanare onwards, fermented sushi went from being simply preserved fish to a dish in which fish and rice are eaten together. Sushi then evolved into hayazushi, and in the late-Edo period, nigirizushi (hand-pressed sushi) was invented in the city of Edo (Tokyo). One of the things that supported the development of nigirizushi culture was red vinegar (aka-su) developed in Handa Bishu (located in modern day Aichi). Red vinegar gets its name from its red color and is made from aged sake lees.

　The basic role of acid in sushi is to improve preservation. The antibacterial power of lactic acid in fermented sushi and acetic acid in hayazushi enhance the preservation of sushi. Nowadays, vinegar also plays an important role in improving the taste of sushi.

　Sushi has developed greatly in Japan from its origins in Southeast Asia. It has changed according to the environment and time period, and continues to evolve.

　Mirin is positioned as an indispensable liquor seasoning for Japanese cooking. The liquor Tax Law defines the component standard values for mirin with an extract content of 40% or more and an alcohol content of less than 15%. Mirin originated in China and was introduced to Japan during the Muromachi and Warring States periods. Mirin was used for drinking, but it came to be used for cooking in the Edo period. The raw materials for mirin are glutinous rice, rice koji and shochu (alcohol). The koji ratio (rice weight / total rice weight) is 10-15% (w / w), and the alcohol ratio (alcohol capacity / total rice weight) is 60-70% (v / w). Since mirin mashing process is not fermented by yeast like other liquor production, the main component changes are saccharification and aging of steamed glutinous rice by the enzymatic action of rice koji, and decomposition of starch and protein. The chemical change in mirin mash is that the pregelatinized starch and protein in glutinous rice are reduced in molecular weight by the starch and proteolytic enzyme of rice koji in the presence of alcohol. As defined by the Liquor Tax Law, the main component is sugar contained in 40% or more of the extract. Mirin has cooking effects due to sugar and alcohol such as prevention of simmering, improvement of texture, and deodorant effect. In addition, functionality such as antioxidant activity and blood pressure increase inhibitory effect derived from the aminocarbonyl reaction has been reported.

　The koji mold is a useful mold that has been used in the production of Japan’s fermented food like miso, soy sauce, sake (rice wine), and shochu (a distilled beverage) since ancient times.

　The koji mold is distributed as "Tane-koji” from Tane-koji manufacturers to each brewer.

　Tane-koji has a long history, dating back to 15th century. It started with the technological development of mixing wood ash when culturing koji mold.

　In this article/today, I will explain about Tane-koji and koji mold from the point of view of manufacturer.

　Moromi vinegar is produced from awamori-pressed lees which is generated as a by-product during the manufacturing process of awamori. Since it contains rich essential amino acids and citric acid, it is expected to be used as a functional food material. However, the peculiar flavor of moromi vinegar has prevented its popularization.

　Therefore, we fermented moromi vinegar using the Lactobacillus plantarum K-3 strain in this study in order to resolve the issue about its flavor. The results of a sensory analysis for flavor showed that the sour taste decreased in the obtained drink while the sweetness and mellowness significantly increased. Considering the decrease in the amount of furfural, the taste of moromi vinegar was suggested to remarkably improve by fermentation using the L. plantarum K-3 strain.

　As the obtained drink indicated a DPPH radical-scavenging activity, an animal experiment was conducted to examine whether it has any physiological activities. As a result, C57BL/6J mice fed a high fat-diet had a decreased weight gain, improved liver function and inflammation, and suppressed cholesterol synthesis by intake of the obtained drink.

　This study examined the appropriate feeding practices of breast milk whose intake is unknown and its relationship to enhancing solid food intake, which is essential for the growth and development of breastfeeding infants and to childcare support. It is based on a questionnaire survey of 581 guardians who took 18-month-old infants for dental examination. Of the 555 valid responses, we analyzed the responses of 270 guardians whose infants were on breast milk. We found a significant relationship between continuation of breast milk and feeding practice: 43.0% in the "regular breastfeeding group” and 57.0% in the "irregular breastfeeding group.” The former had a significantly higher number of infants who graduated from breast milk, and the latter had a significantly higher number of continuing infants on breast milk. In the "regular breastfeeding group,” regular feeding formed hungry patterns, which consequently increased solid food intake, and naturally led to the end of breast milk. However, no significant association was found between infant anthropometric measurements and continuation of breast milk and regularity of feeding practice. Therefore, it was inferred that there was no difference in energy intake. Hence, it was suggested that the "irregular breastfeeding group,” which had a significantly higher number of breastfeeding infants than the "regular breastfeeding group” was supposed to breastfeed other than stay on an empty stomach, which was a cause of small meals. In the "irregular breastfeeding group,” concerns regarding the feeding behavior of the guardians’ infants, which were presumed to be related to small meals, were significantly higher. In addition, it was speculated that if the eating experience was small due to small meals, it was related to the eating behavior after weaning. Therefore, avoiding irregular breastfeeding can reduce anxiety regarding the infant’s feeding behavior among guardians.

　Based on the above, it is necessary to support regular breastfeeding in order to continue to breastfeed after weaning or to naturally terminate breast milk while promoting the intake of solid foods that are not sufficient for breast milk alone.

　The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristics of rice flour waffles by a comparison of the waffles made using rice flour and those made using wheat flour. The results are as follows. With regard to color tone, the brightness of the waffles made using the rice flour was observed to be higher than those made using the wheat flour. In terms of specific volume, the rice flour showed a lower value compared to the wheat flour. A sensory evaluation showed that the rice flour scored higher for smell, taste, moistness, chewiness, and overall evaluation, with a significant difference observed for the overall evaluation. The results of our clarification of the characteristics of waffles made using the rice flour indicated that rice flour could be used as an alternative to wheat flour.