Whether the asterisk artifacts are appeared on the surface of food specimens prepared by using the makeshift method for SEM are examined. The samples of boiled eggs, steamed eggs after stirring, custard pudding, jelly, milk gels, Tofu, and soybean milk-gels were observed by two different methods of critical point drier, the ordinary method (absolute ethanol⇒iso-amyl acetate⇒liquid CO₂), and the makeshift direct method (absolute ethanol⇒liquid CO₂). The asterisk structure were appeared in SEM graphs of albumen, steamed eggs, pudding, jelly and Tofu except yolk, milk-gels, soybean milk-gels prepared by the makeshift direct method, but none of them were appeared in SEM graphs of all specimen prepared by the ordinary method. Therefore, the asterisk structures were artifacts caused by supercritical fluid extraction with CO₂ transferred from ethanol during critical point dry. The asterisk artifacts were appeared on the surface of some kinds of protein gels of foods whether animal origin or vegetable origin. Accordingly, protein gels of foods should be prepared with the ordinary method using iso-amyl acetate.

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We statistically analyzed whether the food consumption pattern in Japan is still advancing toward that of Europe and America and if not, in what direction it is advancing. The data used for analysis was extracted from the annual consumption per person in Food Blance Sheets issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (hereinafter referred to as "consumption") consisting of the figures for five years (1961, 1970, 1980, 1990, and 2000) in 130 countries. The food consumption pattern of each country/year is represented as a point in a 20-dimensional Riemannian space. Because no suitable analysis method for this purpose had been established, we arranged the problems in the related methods so far reported and examined the analysis methods to be introduced. As a result, we found that method I, which projects the vector from the present time in Japan toward a year in the past onto the axis between the two countries at present (the line connecting the present time in Japan and the present time in the object country), is the most suitable. However, we concluded that it would be appropriate to use method I concurrently with method II, which is based upon principal component analysis using data of the two countries (Japan and the object country) because method I does have some problems. Analysis using these techniques revealed that, though the food consumption pattern of Japan had been advancing toward that of Europe and America until the 1980s, the direction changed in the 1990s. After the change in the 1990s, the consumption pattern advanced more in the direction of Latin American countries. If we look in detail into the advancement toward consumption patterns of Europe and America until the 1980s, there was a "gap" between the direction in the 1960s and that in the 1980s and 90s. While the direction of advancement in the 1960s was toward consumption patterns of East Coast Mediterranean Sea countries, the direction in the 1980s and 90s was toward patterns of major European and American countries. Incidentally, previous reports say that the food consumption pattern of Japan did not simply advance toward that of Europe and America. Indeed, the food consumption pattern of Japan did not change linearly into patterns of individual countries. However, if we consider European and American countries as a group, it is appropriate to say that the pattern advanced toward that of Europe and America.

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The objective of this study was to clarify the effect of seven kinds of seasonings on physicochemical properties of cooked and uncooked rice. The seasonings used were salt, soy sauce, sake, vinegar, sugar, curry powder, and tomato paste. They were added in the amount of 1.5, 10.35, 5, 5, 3, 1, 15 (g/100g of rice), respectively, or with twice as much. The rice cooked with seasonings was prepared with 1.5 (w/w) ratio of water to rice. The addition of all seasonings caused the decrease in the water absorption ratio during both soaking and heating of rice grains, especially in salt, soy sauce and tomato paste. Except for vinegar, addition of seasonings resulted in a harder texture. Although the moisture content and the softness of the rice cooked with curry powder and tomato paste were less, the stickiness was significantly more than that without seasonings. In this way, it was revealed that the cooking properties of rice were different by depending on seasonings added.

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The seasonings used were salt, soy sauce, sake, vinegar, sugar, curry powder, and tomato paste. They were added in the amount of 1.5, 10.35, 5, 5, 3, 1, 15 (g/100g of rice), respectively, or with twice as much. The rice cooked with seasonings was prepared with 1.5 (w/w) ratio of water to rice. Rheological properties of cooking water with vinegar, curry powder and tomato paste were larger in viscosity and yield value than those without seasonings, those might cause the stickiness of cooked rice. The addition of all seasonings caused the rise of gelatinization temperature and increase in gelatinization energy. Those were remarkably in salt, soy sauce and tomato paste. After 24 hours of standing at 5°C, the degree of gelatinization of the rice cooked with soy sauce, sugar, curry powder, and tomato paste were significantly lower than those without seasonings. Preliminary degassing of tomato paste before adding to the cooking water was effective for the improvement of the physicochemical properties of cooked rice.

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We examined the antihypertensive effects of α-tocopherol (α-Toc) and the peptide derived from sardine protein hydrolysates (Y-2) on spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). In repeated oral administration of α-Toc at the low dose (32mg/kg/day) or high dose (160mg/kg/day) for 42 days, the systolic blood pressure (SBP) of SHR was declined compared to that of control. Single oral administration of Y-2 after repeated oral administration of α-Toc significantly lowered the SBP in SHR. These effects lasted for 6-8h after administration of Y-2. The hypotensive effect of Y-2 was reinforced by repeated oral administration of α-Toc dependently with its dose. At the end of the experiment, experimental animals were killed six hours after single oral administration of Y-2. In rats administrated with α-Toc, the plasma α-Toc concentration was significantly higher than that of rats administrated with the vehicle. In rats administrated with a high dose of α-Toc and Y-2, antioxidant parameters, plasma lipid peroxide and total antioxidant status were significantly improved and the angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) activity of the heart was significantly lower than that of rats administrated with the vehicle. These results suggest that the hypotensive effect of α-Toc and Y-2 is correlated with the ACE inhibitory activity of Y-2 and antioxidant activity of α-Toc. The combination of α-Toc and Y-2 will be beneficial for improving blood pressure in hypertension.

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We compared the α-amylase activity in rice grains of nonglutinous to that of glutinous varieties. No significant difference was seen in this activity of brown rice between nonglutinous and glutinous varieties harvested in different areas and years. No significant difference was either seen in α-amylase activity of brown rice between nonglutinous varieties and their glutinous mutants. The maximum brown rice paste viscosity of the glutinous mutants determined using a Rapid Visco Analyzer was, however, lower than that of the nonglutinous varieries. Alpha-amylase activity correlated negatively with the maximum viscosity but regression lines for the glutinous mutants and the nonglutinous varieties differed. The maximum starch paste viscosity in the glutinous mutants was lower than that in the nonglutinous varieries. The ratio of maximum viscosity in starch paste added with α-amylase to that without α-amylase was lower for the glutinous mutants than for the nonglutinous varieries. These results indicate that with regard to brown rice a reason for lower maximum viscosity in glutinous than in nonglutinous rice paste was the greater effect of α-amylase activity on the maximum viscosity of glutinous rice paste, not the higher α-amylase activity in glutinous rice grains.

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Eight distinct heterogalactans were extracted with 3% trichloroacetic acid followed by fractional alcoholic precipitation with methanol and Cetavlon from 8 species of Japanese edible mushrooms (Flammulina velutipes, Hypsizigus marmoreus, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus eryngii, Agaricus bisporus, Agaricus blazei, Grifola frondosa, Hericium erinaceum). On complete acid hydrolysis of these heterogalactans, D-galactose, D-mannose, and L-fucose were confirmed as common constituents. By applying partial acid hydrolysis, galactobiose and galactotriose were identified. These results reveal that all of these heterogalactans should contain α-1, 6 linked D-galactan backbone. The molar-ratio of component sugars in each heterogalactans was quite different from species to species. In aspect of the molar-ratio of component sugars, we classified these heterogalactans into following 4 types. Type 1: fucose free, mainly contain mannogalactan; Type 2: mannose and fucose-rich (each 30-60% of galactose content); Type3: intermediate amount of fucose (10-20% of galactose content) and intermediate amount of mannose (5% of galactose content); Type 4: mannose free, mainly contain fucogalactan. Though we could not detect type 4 in Agaricales, another type of heterogalactans; type 1 was not detected in Aphyllophorales.

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