The onset and exacerbation of food allergies in children has recently been increasing. To investigate the correlation between the development of milk allergies and epicutaneous sensitization with milk allergens, we determined the amount of milk allergens in cosmetics and quasi-drugs used for skin care. The amount of α_S1-casein and β-lactoglobulin was determined in 29 products using immunochromatography and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In 9 of the 29 products, the levels of α_S1-casein and β-lactoglobulin were quantified in the range of 7.1-18,810μg/g and more than the limit of detection (LOD) to 10,429μg/g, respectively. Both α_S1-casein (7.1-18,810μg/g) and β-lactoglobulin (4.4-10,429μg/g) were detected in 5 products that displayed unfractionated milk ingredients such as yogurt or dried nonfat milk on the labels. On the other hand, β-lactoglobulin was detected in only 2 of 15 products (6.6μg/g and 6.9μg/g) that displayed whey fraction on the label. In addition, the amount of α_S1-casein was less than LOD in 23 products that displayed whey, casein, or nonprotein fraction on the labels. According to these results, the levels of α_S1-casein and β-lactoglobulin tend to be influenced by the forms of milk ingredients. Thus, these analyses revealed that 31% of randomly selected products contained detectable levels of α_S1-casein and β-lactoglobulin. Moreover, 4 of the 9 allergen-positive products, including soap, lotion, and bath powder, were recommended for infant use. Our study provides the first data regarding cosmetics containing allergens and the development of food allergy. These results suggest that the continuous use of cosmetics containing milk allergens may induce epicutaneous sensitization with milk allergens.

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The present study compared differently grades of powdered green tea (matcha) in order to clarify the relationship of matcha grade with their chemical constituents and functionality. The inhibitory effects of matcha on intestinal absorption of sucrose were examined in rats using portal cannulae. The contents of theanine, arginine and glutamic acid showed positive correlations with the quality of matcha. On the other hand, comparison of the catechin contents of differently grades of matcha revealed negative correlations between the quality of matcha and EGC, EC and EGCG content. Functionality was determined based on the duration of glucose absorption inhibition following matcha intake in portal vein-cannulated rats. Comparison between the high quality and low quality of matcha revealed a significantly reduced blood glucose concentration was observed with the low quality matcha as compared with the high quality of matcha, confirming glucose absorption inhibition. In the present study, we have shown that the relationship of quality of matcha with their chemical components and functionality.

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"Kibi" is a yellowish white grain, obtained as a by-product of the soybean miso (so called Hatcho Miso) manufacturing process. Usually, "Kibi" is discarded as waste before shipping to market. The component of "Kibi" had been unknown for a long time. As "Kibi" was generated during ripening of soybeans those containing various nutrients, such as protein, fat and vitamins, we attempted to elucidate the components of the "Kibi", expecting of effective utilization of "Kibi" at a viewpoint of food pharmaceutical. We isolated two isoflavones: daidzein and genistein, and six amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, pyroglutamic acid, proline and valine, from "Kibi". As several amino acids were isolated, "Kibi" was subjected to the amino acid analysis, and "Kibi" was found to be containing 43.55% leucine, 18.58% isoleucine, 5.24% methionine, 4.23% valine and 3.71% phenylalanine. These results showed that "Kibi" was grains of amino acids mainly containing branched ones which was absorbing isoflavones.

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Zearalenone (ZEA), which often co-occurs with another Fusarium mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON), is one of the major natural contaminants of wheat. To elucidate the retention of ZEA after processing of wheat and to compare that of DON, experimentally Fusarium-infected grains of Japanese soft wheat were subjected to milling, and the concentration of ZEA in a semi-processed wheat product (wheat flour) was analyzed. The grain was milled to obtain three breaking flours (1B, 2B, 3B), three middling flours (1M, 2M, 3M) and two outer layer fractions (bran and shorts). Straight flour was made from all six flours, and patent flour for human consumption was made from flours 1B, 1M, 2B and 2M. The contents of ZEA in straight flour, patent flour, bran, and shorts were determined using an in-house validated analytical method with multifunctional cartridge clean-up and HPLC-fluorescence detection. The content of DON in the same fraction was also determined. Less than 50% retention of ZEA was observed in straight flour, which was much smaller than that of DON. A greater reduction of ZEA in patent flour was observed, which demonstrated the effectiveness of flour fractionation in eliminating ZEA.

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Tienchi ginseng tea (TGT) was prepared from the above-ground organs, stems and leaves, of Tienchi ginseng, which is a special product from China. Tienchi ginseng contains saponins as the main effective ingredient. In male stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats, increases in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were significantly inhibited by the consumption of 4% TGT solution in drinking water from a prehypertensive age (6 weeks of age). In contrast, intake of TGT had no effect on SBP or DBP in normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats. These results were evaluated using a telemetric system. Saponins were divided into two groups; the 20(s)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) group, including ginsenoside Rb₁, Rc, Rb₂, Rb₃, and Rd that show hypotensive effects, and the 20(s)-protopanaxatriol (PPT) group, including ginsenoside Rg₁ and Re that show the opposite effect to the PPD group. Furthermore, only PPD saponins were included in TGT, whereas both PPD and PPT saponins were present in the rhizome of Tienchi ginseng. Furthermore, an evaluation of safety using the Ames test and toxic potency using an acute toxicity test with the TGT extract revealed no gene mutagenicity, and the fatal dose was more than 2000 mg/kg. This study demonstrated that TGT has anti-hypertensive effects and provides better safety compared with the rhizome of Tienchi ginseng.

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Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is composed of repeating disaccharide units of the structure [-4)GlcA(β1-3)GalNAc(β1-]_n, where GlcA is glucuronic acid and GalNAc is N-acetylgalactosamine. The disaccharide composition in CS varies among different animal tissues. For example, the "A-type unit" identified as [-4)GlcA(β1-3)GalNAc4S(β1-] (where "S" designates a sulfonate residue) is a predominant disaccharide in mammalian or chicken tracheal cartilage CS, while the "C-type unit" identified as [-4)GlcA(β1-3) GalNAc6S(β1-] is a major disaccharide found in shark or salmon nasal cartilage CS. In contrast, a significant amount of the "D-type unit" identified as [-4)GlcA2S(β1-3)GalNAc6S(β1-] is characteristically found in CS isolated from shark cartilage, while the "E-type unit" identified as [-4)GlcA(β1-3)GalNAc4S,6S(β1-] is characteristic in squid cartilage. The unsaturated disaccharide analysis was required a gradient elution mode using reversed-phase ion-pairing chromatography or strong anion exchange chromatography. However, an easier and less expensive HPLC method for identification of the origin of CS in health foods is needed. In this study, we established a simple HPLC method with isocratic elution for reversed phase ion-pairing separation and UV detection. Disaccharide composition analysis of CS from 10 different health foods was performed to evaluate the utility of isocratic HPLC with UV detection. The results showed that shark cartilage was the origin of almost all the CS, while dermatan sulfate consisting of "B-type unit" as well as [-4)IdoA2S(β1-3)GalNAc4S(β1-] was found in one of the health foods. Based on these observations, our simple HPLC method using isocratic elution for reversed phase ion-pairing separation is effective for regulation of the origin of CS in health foods according to the composition of disaccharide units.

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Chemical constituents of Gentoku-cha (Japanese post-fermented tea) were determined by HPLC and HPLC-TOFMS analyses. Gallic acid, (+)-catechin, flavonoids (quercetin and kaempferol), teadenols (teadenol A and teadenol B), teasperol and teasperin were identified in the tea. In Gentoku-cha, flavonoids content was relatively larger than that of catechins.

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Zeolite, a designated food additive, is known to absorb radioactive cesium via its cation exchange ability. In this study, we investigated the effects of zeolite treatment on the removal of radioactive cesium from plum liquor during the production process, and found that the concentration of radioactive cesium in the plum liquor was reduced by the addition of zeolite. Taking the concentration of radioactive cesium in the plum liquor in the absence of zeolite as 100%, that in the presence of 10% zeolite in the raw plum ratio was 61%, and that in the presence of 20% zeolite was 38%. On the other hand, the concentration of radioactive cesium was 57% when 10% granulated zeolite was added. Zeolite treatment also increased the concentration of Na⁺ while decreasing that of K⁺ in the plum liquor.

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