Large amounts of purple-colored liquid waste containing nasunin are generated by plants manufacturing lightly salted eggplant products (Asa-zuke). A combination method using HP-20 and 5mol/l acetic acid as an elution liquid can be used to prepare nasunin-containing pigment powder from liquid waste of brined eggplant. The ORAC value for the powder was estimated to be about 10432µmol trolox equivalent/g, which was 69% that of chlorogenic acid. However, the nasunin-containing pigment powder exhibited low water-solubility and a strong acetic acid odor. Here, treatment with β-cyclodextrin and γ-cyclodextrin was investigated in order to address these undesirable characteristics. The optimal conditions for improving the characteristics of the powder were obtained by mixing γ-cyclodextrin and the powder in a 1:1 molar ratio (γ-cyclodextrin: nasunin/chlorogenic acid), and stirring for more than 10 minutes. This treatment increased the water-solubility of the powder from 32% to 81% and decreased the odor of acetic acid by 81%. The contribution of nasunin to the ORAC value of the antioxidant powder was estimated to be approximately 26%. In addition, it was found that nasunin exerts an anti-inflammatory effect and that this effect is mediated by its antioxidant activity.

In this study, the freezing point of fresh cut spinach was calculated from measured values of osmolality, and the supercooling point was determined from the cooling curve obtained by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The freezing point was －0.95±0.19°C, and the supercooling point ranged from －7.1°C to －16.8°C. Next, a fresh cut spinach sample was packed in film, heat-sealed, and subjected to a supercooling test at －5°C for 1 week. After supercooling, the state of the cell membranes and cell viability of the sample were evaluated using an electrical impedance method and a triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) method, respectively. The supercooling test indicated that 45 of 48 samples had intact cell membranes and demonstrated cell viability. The present study showed that fresh cut spinach can be kept in a supercooled state at －5°C for 1 week; however, there were some changes in the state of the cell membranes and a decrease in cell viability during supercooling.

A quantitative method to identify soybean cultivars was developed using the digital polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in order to ensure reliability of food labelling. Primers and probes were designed for specific detection of the cultivars “Fukuyutaka” and “Enrei”, the most used Japanese cultivars for Tofu production. As a result of analysis using a DNA mixed sample of both cultivars extracted from raw soybeans and Tofu, the digital PCR method that was developed showed a strong correlation between measured values and expected values, as well as accurate quantification of small amounts of contamination.

To clarify the effect of the amount of bittern in salt on the hardness of salted Japanese apricot (ume fruit), we pickled ume fruit using salts with different amounts of bittern, then analyzed the components and the hardness of the resulting ume fruit. The breaking strength of the ume fruit after pickling in salt increased with the amount of bittern in the salt. It was thought that the softening of the ume fruit during the pickling process was controlled by the bittern in the salt. In addition, the amount of pectin in the ume fruit pickled with salt containing a large proportion of bittern, as well as the component ratios of hydrochloric acid soluble pectin (HSP; 0.05N) for water-soluble pectin (WSP) were found to have increased. Given these results, we assumed that the amount of HSP was maintained by the calcium in the bittern and that the softening of the plum was controlled. In addition, we believe that it is possible to produce pickled ume fruit with a breaking strength equal to that of commercial ume fruit by manipulating the amount of bittern in the salt used for pickling.

Recently, the flavor wheels of many beverages like coffee and tea have been developed to express their characteristic taste and flavor. However, barley tea has not yet been characterized. In this study, we aimed to identify the flavor and taste characteristics of barley tea by analytical sensory evaluation and gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) analysis. We developed a barley tea flavor wheel and conducted detailed sensory analysis. We classified 20 types of barley tea in total, prepared considering the difference in shape and extraction method from 11 commercially available barley teas into five clusters, according to their characteristic flavors and taste by cluster analysis. The five clusters had flavor differences. For example, some of them had a sweet flavor like that of cotton candy or biscuits, while others were bitter like coffee or had a burnt flavor. We also compared the aromas of two commercially available barley teas (A, B) using GC-O analysis. A had a strong and sweet aroma, but B had a rancid food-like odor. These results were suggested to correspond to those of the sensory analysis.

The evidence from epidemiological studies supports the conclusion that consumption of 1～2 eggs per day does not influence blood cholesterol levels in healthy individuals receiving the prudent eating pattern. However, the judgement is based on the presence of non-responder to dietary cholesterol at two-thirds of whole population. Attention is therefore necessary to the egg intake in people who are responsive to dietary cholesterol. There is no decisive evidence supporting the allowable limit of egg consumption for Japanese due to multiple confounding factors. In the association between egg and blood cholesterol we should thoroughly recognize an interpretation limit of the epidemiological studies and correspond from a nutritional viewpoint. In Japan the egg is one of the most important foods contributing to our healthy longevity, even though it is providing nearly half of our cholesterol intake.