Green tea leaves were exposed to electrons at an acceleration voltage of 200 kV and a beam current of 8μA for various periods and their sterility and quality were evaluated. Irradiation of electrons for 15 min or longer reduced the microbial load to undetectable level. Irradiation of electrons for 15 min did not affect the color and aromatic components to an extent to reduce the commercial value. The results indicate that electron irradiation at 200 kV and 8μA for 15 min decontaminates tea leaves without significant quality deterioration.

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To investigate utilization of SALATRIM as a low caloric fat, Sprague-Dawley rats were fed on the diet containing powder of health oriented SALATRIM-enriched biscuit at the 35% dietary level. The caloric availability of SALATRIM was estimated to be 4.8 kcal/g on average. In comparison with the corn oil-enriched biscuit group, there was no detectable effect on the serum and liver lipid concentrations in the SALATRIM-enriched biscuit group. Analysis of the fatty acid analysis of liver phospholipids showed that the proportions of stearic, arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids in the SALATRIM-enriched biscuit group were significantly higher than those in the corn oil-enriched biscuit group, while the proportion of linoleic acid was significantly low. As a result, the desaturation index of linoleic acid in the SALATRIM group tended to be higher than in the corn oil group. In perirenal and epididymal adipose tissues, the proportion of oleic acid in rats fed SALATRIM-enriched biscuit was significantly higher than in those fed corn oil-enriched biscuit, while the proportion of linoleic acid tended to be low. These results suggest that SALATRIM can be used as a low caloric fat as a biscuit material without influencing lipid metabolism, confirming availability of SALATRIM.

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The polyphenolic composition and the antioxidative activity of an apple flesh extract and its fractions toward linoleic acid peroxidation in micelles of sodium dodecyl sulfate in buffer solution was studied. 1. The main phenolic compounds in fraction B extracted with ethylacetate from aqueous sample solution were chlorogenic acid, (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, oligomeric procyanidins and phloridzin, and in fraction A, which remained in the aqueous phase, polymeric procyanidin was predominant. 2. Catechins (monomeric forms) and procyanidins (oligomeric and polymeric forms), especially polymeric procyanidin, were predominant polyphenolic compounds in apple flesh. 3. The relationship between polyphenolic concentration and antioxidative activity of apple flesh extract was almost same as that of standard (-)-epicatechin solution. In comparison between fraction A and B, the antioxidative activity of fraction B was slightly superior to that of fraction A. 4. The free radical scavenging activity of dimeric and trimeric procyanidins measured with a diphenyl-p-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) method was stronger than that of monomeric catechins, the same as the result of antioxidative activity in the SDS micellar system. The antioxidative activity of the fraction including polymeric procyanidin was lesser than that of catechins or dimeric and trimeric procyanidins, whereas the DPPH radical scavenging activity of this fraction was superior to catechins or dimeric and trimeric forms.

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Dielectric properties of tuna at 2450 MHz and 915 MHz were measured from -30°C to 60°C by the Open-Ended Coaxial Probe method. The dielectric constant and loss factor varied with the composition of a substance and the temperature. The values of dielectric properties were small at temperature below the freezing point. The sharp increase in dielectric properties was observed around the freezing point. The dielectric constant and loss factor increased with increased water content at constant temperature ; the dielectric constant and loss factor of lean tuna were larger than those of fatty tuna. The penetration depths of microwave energy were calculated from the dielectric constant and loss factor as a function of the temperature. The penetration depths as the temperature below the freezing point increased rapidly as the temperature decreased.

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A concentric cylinder system without plunger rotation was applied in this study. The theory and method were based on analyzing shear stress acting on the surface of plunger when the plunger moved upward or downward a very small distance at a constant speed. Sample used were sucrose solutions, French dressing, tomato catsup, mayonnaise, etc. The viscosity of these samples could be evaluated from the force measured just after the starting time of the plunger moving (theoretically, t=0). The viscoelasticity was also evaluated by analyzing the change in force during the plunger movement for a quite small distance.

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Desalting is operated to recycle soy-sauce lees produced in factories. Wastewater with especially high COD value produced in the operation needs to be suitably treated. The wastewater was added instead of raw soy-sauce to a medium for the soy-sauce yeast Zygosaccharomyces rouxii ZR 510 strain, because the composition of the wastewater was similar to that of a common soy-sauce. There was no significant difference in the concentration of the cultured yeast between in the media prepared by the addition of the wastewater and the raw soy-sauce. Both the media with the cultured yeast are added in soy-sauce mash separately. No difference was found in alcohol fermentation of the yeast in the mash between the media. Main constituents and sensory evaluation of final products were also comparable between the media. Those facts showed that a soy-sauce product similar to a common soy-sauce product in quality could be brewed using the wastewater. One of the effective methods to use a liquid waste including a large amount of organic matters was introduced in this study.

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We investigated the fermentation of six autoclaved (121°C, 20 min) beans (soybeans (yellow and black), kidney beans (taisho-kintoki and uzura-mame), peas and azuki beans) and lotus seeds by Bacillus natto strain TF 1. During the fermentation, colony numbers of TF 1, the sticky material, called itohiki in Japan, ammonia and L-glutamic acid increased clearly in soybeans, particularly yellow soybeans. The increase in itohiki and ammonia concentration was observed in kidney beans, pea and lotus seeds, but not shown in azuki beans.

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