In response to a growing interest in health, the "health food" issue was put on a review by the "Study Panel regarding Appropriate "Food with health claims" established in April 2003 from various perspectives regarding health food products such as; the role in the fitness of people, how to ensure the safety and benefit; how to provide proper information to consumers; the role of administration, relevant industries and consumers in consideration of the above; and the way the system should be. As a result, "Appropriate Future "Food with health claims (Proposal)" was drafted as of June 9, 2004. Based on this Proposal and with reference to a technical review conducted by a study group on New FOSHU (Food for Specified Health Uses), " the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has composed a proposed revision of "Food with health claims" system in February and July 2005. Some new categories of FOSHU are established, such as, Qualified FOSHU, Standardized FOSHU and Reduction of disease risk FOSHU. In light of the purpose of the Food with Nutrient Function Claims, it is now required to indicate the name of nutrient for which the function is claimed. Furthermore, in order to correct such a tendency and educate people regarding balanced diet, it is now mandatory to state on a label "For a better diet, balanced meals based on staple foods, main dish and side dish are important." and educate people regarding the Food with Health Claims System including the reviews and revisions made this time.

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The aim of this experiment was to examine the supplemental effect of enzymatically synthesized inulins with different degree of polymerization (DP) as dietary fiber. In Exp. 1, two inulins (IN 8=DP 8 and IN 18=DP 18) were fed to rats at 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 % (W/W) in the basal diet. Supplementation at more than 10% caused deteriorative effects judging from fecal conditions and weight gain. Therefore 5 % inulin in diet was adopted in Exp. 2, in which effects of feeding IN 8 and IN 18 were also compared. Inulin supplementation decreased liver triglyceride and increased fecal wet weight. n-Butyrate increased significantly in cecal content of rats receiving inulin. It was also increased in fresh feces of inulin groups, however, significant increase was only in the IN 18 group. Although there are minor difference in this point, two synthesized inulins had similar physiological effects.

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The effect of kabosu (Citrus sphaerocarpa Hort .) administration on serum and liver lipid concentrations in rats was tested using lees prepared from fruits at different stages of ripening and with different extraction methods: GC, green fruits with centrifugal extraction; GB, green fruits with belt extraction; and YB, yellow fruits with belt extraction. Four weeks old male Wistar rats were fed for 28 days on 20% casein diets containing either 4% cellulose (control diet) or one type of kabosu lees (concentration of total dietary fiber adjusted to 4% in each diet). Rats administered kabosu lees showed significant decreases in liver lipids, particularly total lipids, triacylglycerols, and cholesterol, compared with those fed on the control diet. However, no significant differences in serum and liver lipid concentrations based on fruit ripening stage or extraction method were observed. Kabosu lees administration significantly increased fecal excretion of total lipids and lowered the apparent digestibility of lipids. Levels of fecal total bile acids increased in rats fed on kabosu lees compared with the control diet . These results suggest that kabosu lees decrease the concentration of liver lipids by inhibiting the absorption of lipids and promoting the excretion of bile acids.

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The purpose of current study is to determine whether it is possible to predict the body composition by total body electroconductivity (TOBEC) analysis in growing Wistar rats. Correlations between TOBEC-derived calibration equations and both chemically analyzed fat-free mass (FFM, r = 0.991) and body fat (BF, r = 0.945) were highly significant . Validation study proved an enough accuracy of the equation-derived FFM (±0.8%), while the equation-derived BF was somewhat variable (±3.0%). The present results suggest that TOBEC analysis is useful to monitor intermediate changes of body composition by the ingestion of resistant starch without an invasion when the male Wistar rats are used in the defined body weight (170 - 400 g).

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