Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most frequent chronic liver disease in the world. Excess fructose and sugar intake as well as high fat diet have been shown to be major risk factors for this disease. Chicken egg (egg) is a conventional food that contains every nutrient required for the growth of the chicken embryo. Eggs contain large amounts of important proteins and fat, a very small amount of carbohydrates, and all vitamins and minerals needed for development of the chick. A high sugar, glucose or fructose diet has been shown to cause fatty liver by inducing biosynthesis of glycerol and fatty acid from glucose or fructose. We analyzed the effects of eggs on the development of fatty liver induced by a high sugar, glucose or fructose diet. Feeding an egg-only diet for 4 weeks to adult C57BL/6 female mice did not induce fatty liver. In contrast, 2 to 4 weeks feeding of a sugar-, glucose- or fructose- only diet induced overt NAFLD with a large number of vacuoles observed in hepatocytes, associated with high serum level of ALT and AST. Adding boiled eggs or raw egg yolk in water to glucoseor fructose- only diet markedly suppressed NAFLD. One week raw egg yolk-only diet reversed the NAFLD caused by one week sugar-only diet. Serum ketone bodies and cholesterol levels were greatly increased in mice fed an egg-only diet. Adding raw egg yolk to sugar or changing to egg from sugar diet increased ketone bodies and cholesterol levels.

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〈Background〉 We reported on the characteristics of green tea extract (GTE)-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Using this model, we explored the inhibitory effects of n-9 PUFA, mead acid (MA), by dietary supplementation. 〈Methods〉 7-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats received a single intraperitoneal injection of 200 mg/kg GTE, serum and liver were collected 24, 48 hrs, and 7 days after the GTE injection. The control or 4.8% MA diets was given from one week before GTE injection to sacrifice. Control diet + saline, 4.8% MA diet + saline, control diet + GTE, and 4.8% MA diet + GTE groups were set. Serum biomarkers of hepatotoxicity [aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT)], liver histopathology, and immunohistochemistry of apoptosis (γH2A.X), oxidative stress (8-nitroguanosine) and hypoxia [hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1α] were examined. Fatty acid in serum and liver tissue of the control diet + saline and 4.8% MA diet+ saline groups were analyzed. 〈Results〉 In the control diet + GTE group, AST and ALT levels increased. Centrilobular hepatocellular necrosis was seen 24 and 48 hrs after GTE exposure. Furthermore, the levels of these changes decreased in the MA diet group. In the control diet + GTE group, γH2A.X, 8-nitroguanosine, and HIF-1α-positive hepatocytes appeared and peaked at 48 hrs. The level of these changes reduced by MA diet feeding. MA composition in the serum and liver significantly increased in the MA diet group, compared to the control diet group. 〈Conclusion〉The levels of GTE-induced liver damage, such as serum biomarkers, histology, and immunohistochemistry for hepatotoxicity were inhibited by MA diet feeding. This effect may be related to suppression of cell death via the pathway of oxidative stress and hypoxia in the liver.

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Certain foods are known to have flavor characteristics such as continuity and mouthfulness which cannot be explained by the five basic tastes alone. It has been demonstrated that these sensations are evoked by the addition of kokumi substances, flavor modifiers with no taste of their own, which are considered to be one of“ Koku” -imparting factors. Recent studies have demonstrated that kokumi substances such as glutathione are perceived via the calcium-sensing receptor （CaSR）. Screening with CaSR assay and sensory evaluations have shown that γ-glutamyl-valyl-glycine （γ-Glu-Val-Gly） is a potent kokumi peptide. In the present study, the sensory effects of γ-Glu-Val-Gly on chicken soup, reduced-fat peanuts butter, and reduced-fat custard cream were investigated by descriptive analysis. Chicken soup containing γ-Glu-Val-Gly had significantly stronger thickness, mouthfulness, and continuity than those of the control. In addition, γ-Glu-Val-Gly significantly increased the oiliness, thick flavor, and aftertaste of reduced-fat peanut butter, significantly increased the thickness of taste of reduced-fat custard cream. As a kokumi substance, γ-Glu-Val-Gly has no taste of it own, it can therefore be used to improve the flavor of both savory and sweet foods including reduced-fat foods.

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Lipids in foods play important roles in the improvement of their palatability as well as the supply of nutrition for energy. Lipids improve the food property which is decided by lots of factors such as taste, aroma, texture and so on involved in food palatability. In the case of taste, lipids enhance the intensity of sweetness and umami taste of foods, while they suppress their bitterness. Lipids also affect the food palatability related to aroma through the lipid oxidation in foods or the precursor of the aroma compounds such as linoleic acid and linolenic acid. In the case of texture, lipids in foods make them more tender and juicier. Recently, lipids were found to hold aroma compounds in foods and enhance the complexity, mouthfulness, and lingerngness in Koku attributes. Aroma compounds in foods are released from their lipids during chewing foods in oral cavity, and they enhance Koku attributes.

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） is an inflammatory disease of the lungs that is characterized by a progressive airflow limitation. COPD is caused mainly by long-term inhalation exposure to noxious substances such as cigarette smoke. Patients with COPD are at high risk of malnutrition （25-40%）. Malnutrition is a well-known risk factor for poor prognosis in patients with COPD. The main cause of malnutrition are energy imbalance and lung cachexia that results from systemic inflammation. The proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha （TNF-α）, interleukin-6（ IL-6）, are produced by systemic inflammation. The proinflammatory cytokines can increase muscle protein degradation, and can lead loss of appetite. The energy imbalance occurring in the patients with COPD are caused by hypermetabolism （increased energy expenditure） and loss of appetite（ deficient energy intake）. In the nutritional management of patients with COPD, high-fat diets are recommended for the aim of increasing energy intake and reducing carbon dioxide production. The energy requirements are calculated from 1.5 × resting energy expenditure （REE）. In the nutritional therapy for patients with COPD, total calories from fat are a high ratio （35-50% of total energy）. The nutritional management is selected among oral, enteral, and parenteral nutrition. The parenteral lipid emulsions are used in parenteral nutrition. The highfat enteral formulas are used in enteral nutrition. The high-fat diets are used in oral nutrition, and oral nutritional supplements （ONS） are provided for inadequate energy intake. The high-fat enteral formulas and diets are including medium-chain triglyceride （MCT） and omega-3 fatty acid. The nutritional management using lipids is efficient means for providing energy in patients with COPD.

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Chronic kidney disease develops due to lifestyle-related diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, increases the risk of end stage renal failure and cardiovascular disease. Patients with end stage renal failure needs renal replacement therapy such as hemodialysis （HD）. Each serum lipid level of HD patients is different from that in healthy people. In particular, they are characterized by high levels of triglyceride and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. The target lipid management for HD patients should be LDL-Cho levels of less than 120 mg/dL. Whereas, non-HDL-Cho levels of less than 150 mg/dL may also be used as the management standard. In 2004, the Statistical Survey Committee of the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy conducted a survey on relationship with lipid-related markers and each factor （all-cause mortality, heart failure death, myocardial infarction, cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage） in HD patients. As a result, it was reported that each lipid level was associated with the development of these factors. According to dietary reference standards for CKD, it suggests that the target amount of lipid for HD patients can be adapted to the target amount of healthy people. In total energy, total lipid is 20%〜30% and saturated fatty acids is less of 7% . Because dialysis patients are prone to undernutrition, adequate energy intake is essential in their nutritional management. It is necessary for HD patients to understand lipid metabolism and incorporate lipids into their daily diet for maintaining their energy intake.

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