Sake lees was dried to prepare new foodstuff with valuable contents and application for many food. The sake lees powder was prepared by freeze-drying after washing with water to remove soluble substances. The product was white and rich in protein and dietary fiber. We investigated the effects of sake lees powder on the hypercholesterolemic rat. Wistar rats were given 0, 10 or 20% of sake less powder containing high cholesterol and high cholic acid semi-purified feeds. Rats were bred with experimental feed ad libtum for nine days. Daily fecal weight and fecal protein content increased, and cecal content pH lowered dose dependently with sake lees powder. Serum cholesterol decreased significantly by sake lees powder.

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Contributions of different starches exhibiting different effects on the expansion of yakifu and having different physicochemical characteristics were studied to expanded structure construction of yakifu. Granular starches inhibited sequential, fibrous and sheet structure formation of gluten, resulting in network structure in gluten dough during kneading, while amorphous starch didn't. Pregelatinized and soluble starch with higher swelling power interfered with homogeneous mixing of gluten and starch. Well expanded products contained well arranged air cells from bottom to top, but only poor air cells were formed in inferior products. In expanded products of synthesized flour with high amylose corn starch or mung bean starch, starch granules were observed on the air cell walls. Isolated starches from the expanded products showed polarizing cross, indicating parts of those starches were resistant to the baking temperature. At the beginning of expansion, expanded glutenous structure was covered with pasted starch to form closed individual air cell. These air cells were accumulated to give bigger specific volumes. With an increase in the proportion of gelatinized starch in the flour, the specific volume was lowered. Therefore, it was concluded that granular starches with appropriate swelling power which gelatinized during baking contribute the expansion of yakifu.

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We studied potential prophylactic effects on diabetes by measuring adipocyte functions and the insulin sensitivity of 5 fruits including peach, apple, plum, grape (Kyoho) and apricot. The following results were obtained: (1) The highly hydrophobic fraction (soluble in ether) in either of the fruits increased the levels of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) and intracellular lipid droplet, indicating activation of adipocyte functions. The activation was dose-dependent in any fruit. In peach, in particular, marked activation was noted at a low concentration, and its less hydrophobic (insoluble in ether) fraction also had a slight activating effect. (2) The highly hydrophobic fractions increased intracellular glucose availability in the presence of insulin, indicating an increase in insulin sensitivity of cells. The increase was the most remarkable in peach, and its less hydrophobic fraction also slightly increased the glucose uptake. The components in the 5 fruits tested in this study, especially in peach, and raise the insulin sensitivity in vitro. These results suggesting prophylactic effects on life-style related diseases such as diabetes.

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The variety characteristics of five kinds of prune were investigated by measuring 14 items of food chemical properties. An antioxidative activity of prune was measured and the following results were obtained: (1) The antioxidative activity of prune was observed in each part. The strong activity was shown in the epicarp. The activity decreased in the order of epicarp > pericarp > sacrocarp. The significant difference (p<0.01) was observed among epicarp, pericarp, and sacrocarp. (2) The polyphenol composition and contents of each part of varieties were determined. Six components were noted, and chlorogenic acid, the main component, and gallic acid occupied 80% of them. The content of each part decreased in the order of epicarp > pericarp > sacrocarp. The significant difference (p<0.01) was admitted among epicarp, pericarp, and sacrocarp. (3) The absorbance at 500nm, the maximum absorption band of rate dye solution of each kind of varieties, was in order of epicarp > pericarp > sacrocarp. The difference was significant (p<0.01) among epicarp, pericarp, and sacrocarp. (4) The correlation among three items such as the antioxidative activity, polyphenol and anthocyanin contents indicated that polyphenol and anthocyanin contents were associated with the antioxidative activity. These results indicate that the antioxidative activity is the strongest in the epicarp of prune, and hence suggest that eating full prune with epicarp contributes to good health.

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A cysteine proteinase inhibitor was purified from the extract of seeds of foxtail millet, Setaria italica, to an electrophoretically homogeneous protein by heat treatment, salting-out, ion-exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sepharose CL-6 B, gel filtration on Sephadex G-50, and chromatofocusing on PBE 94. The inhibitor (FMCPI) was a single polypeptide with a molecular weight of 12000 and an isoelectric point of 5.2. It possessed the amino acid composition characterized by fairly high contents of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and alanine and by no half-cystine. FMCPI was relatively thermostable since it maintained more than 50% of the original activity after treatment of 100°C for 20min at pH 2 or 7. However, the inhibitor almost lost its whole activity by the above treatment at pH 10. FMCPI inhibited papain in a 1:1 protein molar ratio: the K_i value was 2.4×10^-11M. Complex formation between FMCPI and papain derivatives demonstrated that the inhibitor was capable of combining with even a papain molecule without the catalytic ability.

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Amylose complexing indexes of nine surfactants; glycerol monostearate (MG-C 18:0), glycerol monooleate (MG-C 18:1), glycerol monolinoleate (MG-C 18:2), diglycerol monostearate (DG-C 18:0), diglycerol monooleate (DG-C 18:1), diglycerol monolinoleate (DG-C 18:2), triglycerol monostearate (TG-C 18:0), triglycerol monooleate (TG-C 18:1), and triglycerol monolinoleate (TG-C 18:2), were measured. And also, starch (potato and wheat) complexing indexes of those surfactants were measured. Surfactants were dispersed in three ways; stirring dispersion, homogenizing dispersion and methanol dissolution. Properties of amylose complexes of MG-C 18:0 and MG-C 18:1 were measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA) and infrared absorption spectrum (IR). Amylose complexing indexes (ACI) of DG-C 18:1, DG-C 18:2, TG-C 18:1 and TG-C 18:2 are nearly same. ACI of MG-C 18:1 and MG-C 18:2 depends greatly on the dispersion methods, and relates to their micelle forming properties in solution. Results of DSC, TG/DTA and IR suggest that MG-C 18:0 and MG-C 18:1 are included in the helix of amylose.

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A relationship between antioxidative activity and catechin concentration was investigated for estimating antioxidative potency of commercially available tea drinks by using the XYZ-dish method. Antioxidative activity of canned drinks determined by the XYZ-dish method increased in the following order: other teas < oolong teas < green teas. The antioxidative activity of tea infusions extracted from green tea leaves was markedly stronger than that of canned tea drinks. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), gallocatechin gallate and epigallocatechin (EGC) were found to have stronger antioxidative activities. It was suggested that the presence a hydroxyl group at 5'-position of B ring and the total number of aromatic hydroxyl groups contributed to the increase in activity. The concentration of catechin compounds in tea drinks showed different levels among the tea samples examined, particularly it was markedly higher in the tea infusions than in canned tea drinks. High contents of EGCg and EGC were detected in most of the tea drinks with stronger antioxidative activities, suggesting that the two catechins mainly affected the antioxidative activity of tea drinks. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the antioxidative activity was dependent on the catechin concentration, because a significant high correlation was found between the activities and the total concentration of eight catechins in the tea drinks. These results demonstrated that the XYZ-dish method was useful as an antioxidative assay of tea drinks containing polyphenolic antioxidant activity.

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A newly developed system employing a new sterilizing method using a high-pressure homogenizer demonstrated high efficiency of sterilization on milk in spite of short heating time, compared with the conventional method as a plate heat exchanger system. Fundamentally based on utilization of energy conversion from pressure energy to heat energy, this system is quite useful as the flash-heating and sterilizing system in the second heating stage, normally overheated by the conventional method. Theoretically in the case of water the temperature raised is about 23°C at 100MPa. On the high-pressure homogenizer, the sterilizing temperature was set to 120-140°C at 80-90MPa of homogenizer pressure. For testing sterilization effects, two kinds of endospore forming bacteria were added to raw milk and heated up and sterilized by this system. Then the survival numbers of these bacteria after sterilization were counted, and these effects were estimated by calculating F values. In result the same effects on sterilization were gained for this system, compared with a plate heat exchanger system. However, flavor and color of the products from this system were superior to those from a plate heat exchanger system because of low heat damage. And as the size of dispersed droplets was anti-proportional to the pressure of homogenization, the fine droplets were gained much more by high pressure in this system. Even after two months storage at 5°C, fat floating caused by droplet coagulation was hardly found in spite of lower viscosity.

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The yearly trend of data sets for the Food Balance Sheet (1967-1997) are analyzed through a newly developed smoothing method. Several attractive findings are obtained, which makes our understandings of trends of the supply and the demand of selected items clearer and deeper. A reason why we attempt to extend the existing smoothing method is in the notable characteristics of the data sets in the present study. The behavior of the present data is characterized by their large systematic variations in contrast with their small irregular variations. As a result, the existing smoothing method is likely to provide us with an unexpectedly non-smoothed curve. In the new method, the polynomial regression curves are fitted first, followed by the associated empirical Bayes smoothing method. Here we note that the empirical Bayes smoothing method in terms of the prior distribution based on the k-th order difference matrix is associated with the polynomial regression curve of degree k-1. The model selection between the estimated polynomial regression curve and the associated smoothing curve is based on the marginal likelihood ratio statistic. When the polynomial regression model is rejected, the associated smoothed curve is employed as the trend curve. The method was applied to the yearly trend analysis; specifically the supply and demand of rice, soybean and beef in Japan. The domestic production of rice was confirmed to show the linear decrease. A quadratic curve was chosen as the trend curve of the consumption amounts per capita of rice. This curve suggests that the consumption amounts per capita of rice traced the steady depression of decrease, and that the estimated year when it will reach the bottom level was 1999. The yearly trend of domestic production of soybean was fitted by the smoothed curve based on the 3rd order difference matrix. This up-and-down trend could be explicitly explained by the changes of the upland crop promotion policy by the Government. It may be believed that beef shows sharp increase in the domestic production and consumption amounts per capita. However, domestic production have been obligated to decrease, and even the consumption amounts per capita showed the severe depression of increase in recent years.

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Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) microimaging was used to determine moisture distribution in boiled Japanese noodles (udon) made from different varieties of wheat. The transversal relaxation time (T₂) profile of a piece of boiled udon was monitored in time course measurements during and after boiling. Gravimetric analysis of water in the surface and in the core of boiled udon showed a linear relationship between T₂ and moisture content. Water permeation from the surface to the core was evaluated by the T₂ profile. When compressive properties of boiled udon were determined after boiling, the fracture stress of udon correlated negatively with the moisture content at the core that increased with time after boiling. While the elastic modulus increased with time, because the moisture content at the surface decreased as water permeated into the core. NMR imaging is also useful for evaluating the texture of boiled udon.

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Fructooligosaccharides, which are mainly contained in yacon tubers, are known for their ability to keep intestines healthy. Therefore, the juice pressed from yacon tubers is expected as a sweetener containing natural fructooligosaccharides. However, the juice is usually unsuitable for beverages due to being cloudy, grassy and colored. In this study, the juice was successfully clarified, decolorized and deodorized by the treatment with activated carbon powder under the most desirable condition. Six activated carbon powders, SD, BA, TW, ZN, TA and KA, were tested (SD, BA, TW and ZN are commercial names of activated carbon powders produced by HOKUETSU TANSO KOGYO Co. Ltd. TA and KA are abbreviated names. The first is activated carbon powder from TAKEDA YAKUHIN KOGYO Co. Ltd. for decolorization and purification of SAKE. The second is activated carbon powder from KANTO KAGAKU Co. Ltd. for commercial reagents). The filtrated juice was measured for transmittance, soluble sugar and so on after stirring with each activated carbon powder for an hour at room temperature. Almost colorless, transparent and odorless juice was obtained by an addition of 2 to 3% of activated carbon powders ZN and TA. Both activated carbon powders had larger bulk volumes (>3ml/g) than others. Under the above conditions, fructooligosaccharides remained from 89% to 94% in the juice. From these results, ZN and TA among 6 activated carbon powders were suitable for practical use.

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Cooking quality is related to the palatability and the nitrogen content of rice. The distribution of nitrogen in the discard of rice milled to 90, 70 and 50% of grain weight was examined in relation to the cooking quality of rice. The nitrogen content was higher in the outer layer of rice (discarded portion of rice milled to 70-90% of grain weight) than in the middle layer (discarded portion of rice milled to 50-70% of grain weight), and the swelling power of the outer layer of rice was lower than that of the middle layer of rice. The nitrogen content of milled rice decreased, and the water uptake ratio and the total elution weight of solids in cooking of milled rice increased with an increase in the degree of milling of rice.

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Tora bean α-amylase inhibitor (TAI) was a proteinaceous α-amylase inhibitor from Phaseolus vulgaris cultivar Tora, a common kidney bean in Japan, and it was active against pancreatic and salivary α-amylases. We investigated the behavior of this inhibitor during heat treatment and enzymatic digestion in order to evaluate the nutritional significance of kidney bean α-amylase inhibitor. The inhibition against pancreatic α-amylase increased with a rise in preincubation temperature from 25 to 45°C. TAI was relatively stable in pH 7.0 after 20min incubation at 80°C, while it was rapidly inactivated in pH 3.0 and 5.0. Soaking of tora beans in water for 15h at 20°C caused an decrease of soluble protein content, but hardly affect the inhibitory activity, while boiling treatment for 15min inactivated nearly 90% of the inhibitor. The inhibitor was quite resistant to the proteolysis by pepsin and trypsin, while it was relatively susceptible to hydrolysis by chymotrypsin and lost about 90% of the original activity during 2h digestion.

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Carotenoids in Bacillus alvei DC-1 were into two fractions using thin layer chromatography. Two of these pigments were identified as lycopene and β-carotene by ¹H-NMR, FT-IR, GC-MS, and VIS spectral analysis. The visible light irradiation (6700 lux) on the strain DC-1 increased the production of lycopene and β-carotene. After the irradiation, the lycopene and β-carotene concentrations in the cells were 3.21 (mg/g dry weight), and 2.11 (mg/g dry weight), respectively. The lycopene concentration in the cells increased about 1.4 times by the addition of nicotine to the culture medium.

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The changes in the contents of minerals in firefly squids were investigated in connection with the body growth. The firefly squids were caught at 3 different fishing grounds in The Sea of Japan from March to July in 1989. The contents of moisture, ash, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron hardly varied during the fishing period, while those of copper (Cu), manganese and zinc increased with the body growth. Especially, the increase in Cu content was noteworthy among these minerals. The Cu content of the liver, in which nearly 70% of Cu in the whole body localized, similarly increased with body growth. Accordingly, the increase in Cu content of the whole body was mainly due to the accumulation of Cu in the liver. The same trend was observed in the change in Cu content of the liver of common squid. From these results, it was presumed that the accumulation of Cu in the liver along with the growth was general feature of squid.

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