Fruit consumption in Japan is significantly lower compared to G7 countries, particularly among young and middle-aged demographics. This is primarily due to factors such as perishability, high cost, and the effort required for preparation. Conventional frozen fruits have faced challenges with thawing, texture, and flavor. To address these issues, AOHATA Corporation developed a unique “soft-freezing method,” an application of osmo-dehydrofreezing, and launched the “Aohata Kuchidoke Frozen” series in March 2023. This product is designed for immediate consumption directly from the freezer, offering a soft texture and rich aroma without the need for thawing.

Evaluation of “Kuchidoke Frozen Strawberry” demonstrated lower breaking force and initial elastic modulus compared to conventional IQF strawberries through mechanical property analysis, confirming a softer and smoother texture. Sensory and aroma component analyses revealed a rich fruity and sweet aroma with less acid and frozen odor. Significantly less drip loss upon thawing was also observed compared to IQF. These findings indicate that “Aohata Kuchidoke Frozen” overcomes the drawbacks of traditional frozen fruits, providing a new option for easy and healthy fruit intake. This product is expected to meet the needs of modern consumers seeking health consciousness and convenience, contributing to an improved quality of dietary life.

In the food industry, many separation processes are employed to remove and recover particles. The author has been studying development of environmentally sustainable membrane separation processes for particle separation, focusing on the preparation of biodegradable plastic filtration membranes and their application to depth filters. The membranes are mainly prepared via phase separation methods. Membrane filtrations were performed using yeast and lactic acid bacteria. It was demonstrated that membranes capable of blocking lactic acid bacteria were produced by partially drying the surface of the polymer solution before phase separation or by adding surfactants to the polymer solution. The resulting asymmetric membranes functioned effectively as depth filters when filtration was performed from the rough side, achieving high filtration rates. Furthermore, in composite membranes made from cellulose fibers and polyhydroxyalkanoates, high filtration rates were obtained when filtration of yeast cell suspension was performed from the cellulose fiber side. The biodegradable plastic membranes and depth filters developed in the studies are expected to contribute to improving particle removal and recovery processes in the food industry.

This study explored non-destructive spectroscopic techniques for food evaluation, aiming to overcome the limitations of conventional chemical assays and chromatography, which are destructive and time-consuming. The research focused on three approaches: fluorescence fingerprint (FF) measurement and FF imaging, laser scattering, and spatially factorized spectroscopy. FF measurement enabled assessment of food quality indicators such as fruit ripeness and antioxidant capacity by comprehensively measuring auto-fluorescent compounds. FF imaging further visualized the spatial distribution of auto-fluorescent compounds in food. Laser scattering provided a rapid, non-invasive method to evaluate food texture by analyzing light scattering patterns, as demonstrated in apples during storage. Finally, spatially factorized spectroscopy addressed the challenge of selectively quantifying specific components within complex mixtures by utilizing microscale heterogeneity, allowing robust prediction models that are less affected by interfering substances. These methods collectively enhance food quality evaluation by enabling rapid, non-destructive, and environmentally friendly analyses. The research highlighted the potential of integrating advanced optical techniques into practical food assessment, offering complementary information on chemical composition, structural properties, and texture that are difficult to capture with traditional methods.

This study conducted in collaboration between Tohoku University and Taishi Food Inc. aimed to optimize legume processing through food chemical engineering. Firstly, the growth behavior of mung bean sprouts under high-density heterotrophic cultivation was evaluated. The sprouts were cultivated under intermittent water supply, and the concentrations of oxygen and carbon dioxide, as well as weight of the sprout, were measured. The effectiveness factor was employed as an indicator to quantify mass transfer efficiency. Results demonstrated that controlling water supply enhanced mass transfer contributions, allowing high-density cultivation to maintain the efficiency of the single cultivation. Second, the potential of high-pressure treatment was investigated as an acceleration technology of the fermentation to develop a soy milk cheese-like product. Lactic acid bacteria suspended in soy milk exhibited altered pressure tolerance, and kinetic analyses of inactivation behavior revealed a linear relationship between the logarithm of the pre-exponential factor and activation volume. This indicates that microbial inactivation under high pressure proceeds via a mechanism consistent with enthalpy–entropy compensation. The process condition was optimized through these results, and significant reduction of the fermentation period was achieved. These results highlight the potential for designing innovative food production systems based on engineering indices and thermodynamic insights.

Oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions containing palm oil or trimyristin as the oil phase were prepared using a membrane emulsification method. A polyelectrolyte complex layer composed of chitosan (CHI) and sodium caseinate (SC) was formed on the droplet surfaces, and its effect on oil droplet crystallization was investigated. The crystallization behavior of the oil droplets under isothermal conditions was observed using polarizing light microscopy, which revealed that the O/W emulsions with the CHI-SC complex layer exhibited slower crystal formation than those without the complex. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis showed that α-form crystals were initially generated and gradually transformed into β′-form crystals, which then gradually increased during isothermal incubation. Comparison of polarizing microscopy and SAXS results indicated that the CHI-SC complex layer delayed the crystallization of oil droplets, particularly during the initial α-crystal formation stage. Similar effects were observed in emulsions containing trimyristin droplets, suggesting that the CHI-SC complex layer suppresses α-crystal formation regardless of the fatty acid composition of the triacylglycerols.