The concept of “Vegetable First” generally promotes the idea that beginning a meal with vegetables is beneficial for health. While the term “Salad First” was initially used in a similar context – to encourage the consumption of salad at the beginning of a meal – Kewpie Corporation has expanded the slogan to encompass not only the health benefits associated with salad consumption, but also the broader contribution of vegetable consumption to improved diets and sustainability. This review highlights the initiatives undertaken as part of the “Salad First” campaign. Through these efforts, Kewpie Corporation aims to support improved health outcomes by increasing salad consumption and, ultimately, greater vegetable intake.

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder caused by insulin deficiency. The pathogenesis of T2DM consists of impaired insulin secretion from pancreatic islets and insulin resistance. At present, it is thought that impaired insulin secretion mainly contributes to the pathogenesis of T2DM in Japanese individuals. However, insulin resistance clearly underlies the prevalence of T2DM in Japan as well as in Western countries. This is due to the Westernization of Japanese lifestyles, resulting in the increased prevalence of visceral obesity. Dietary therapy is a fundamental treatment for T2DM, and aims to ameliorate obesity and improve insulin resistance. On the other hand, the aging population with T2DM is increasing in Japan. In elderly patients, dietary therapy should focus on the prevention of frailty due to sarcopenia. Therefore, a uniform approach to nutritional goals is challenging in light of the diverse characteristics of T2DM. Several investigations have confirmed an association between the consumption of vegetables and the risk of T2DM. Recent research revealed that increased vegetable intake contributes to improved control of blood glucose levels and a decreased incidence of cardiovascular disease in T2DM. However, the consumption of vegetables is decreasing in Japan, possibly due to the rapid change in eating patterns of younger generations.

This review examines the impact of parent-child collaborative cooking of vegetable dishes on children’s psychological development from a lifespan developmental psychology perspective. Based on a survey of 793 parents with children aged 3-12 years, participants were divided into three groups: those who cooked vegetable dishes with their children; those who cooked non-vegetable dishes together; and those with no collaborative cooking experience. The results demonstrated that children in the vegetable cooking group showed significantly higher scores in non-cognitive abilities, including self-control, assertiveness, cooperation, self-esteem, logical thinking, and curiosity (p < 0.05), than those in the other groups. Children’s active involvement in cooking processes (selecting, washing, tearing, cutting, cooking, seasoning, tasting, and plating vegetables) was particularly beneficial for psychological development. In addition, children in the vegetable cooking group showed significantly higher vegetable consumption (p < 0.001). These findings suggest that parent-child collaborative cooking of vegetable dishes not only enhances children’s psychological development, but it also promotes healthy eating habits that may contribute to long-term health benefits. Future research should explore how collaborative experiences with various community members beyond the family unit might influence psychological development throughout the lifespan.

ヒトの咀嚼過程を再現する人工咀嚼装置を用いて, 加水パターンに応じたクッキーの経時変化を計測・可視化した. 液体添加システムによる加水のパターンを3つ設定し, 3種類のクッキーを実験試料として人工咀嚼実験を行った. その過程において, 力学的計測によって咬合力データを取得し, 同時に幾何学的計測によってクッキー断片群の画像から画像エントロピーを算出した. 人工咀嚼の進行に伴うこれらのデータの経時変化を解析した結果, 加水パターンの違いによって, 咬合力と画像エントロピーの推移にも明確な違いが生じることが示された. 特に, ヒトの咀嚼に近い, 水を徐々に添加するパターンの場合には, クッキーの種類に応じた推移の違いが顕著に現れ, これによって試料間の差異を識別することができた. また, 上記のような経時的計測データの解析結果と経時的官能評価 (TDS) 結果との間には, 対応関係があることが確認された. これにより, 既存の装置では困難であった経時的な食感評価が, 提案する人工咀嚼装置および評価手法によって可能となることが示唆された.

本研究はビフィズス菌配合アイスクリームについて, MCC1274あるいはBB536の2種類の菌株を用い, その菌数減少に大きく影響を及ぼす製造工程中の要素を明らかにすることを目的とした.

ミックスのタンク保持工程では, MCC1274, BB536のいずれについても, 保持時間8時間で生残率80 %以上と高い生残性を示した.

フリージング工程において, 制御可能なパラメーターのうち, ビフィズス菌の生残性に影響を与えうるオーバーラン, ダッシャー回転数, フリージング温度のいずれかを変更してフリージングしたアイスクリームサンプルを調製した. 全てのアイスクリームサンプルについて, フリージング工程を経ることでビフィズス菌数の減少を認めた. さらに, オーバーランおよびダッシャー回転数の条件違いにおいては生残性に有意差を認めなかったが, フリージング温度を変更したアイスクリームについては, 高いフリージング温度ではビフィズス菌数は有意に高値であり, 低いフリージング温度では有意に低値であった.

硬化工程においては, ミックスと比較して硬化前時点で顕著な菌数低下を認めたことから, 硬化工程はビフィズス菌数へ与える影響が軽微であることが示された.

−18 ℃の保存試験では, 18か月で緩やかにビフィズス菌生残率は減少したが, フリージング条件の違いによる保存生残性の差は軽微なものであった. また, MCC1274配合サンプルは保存期間18か月で生残率約80 %, BB536配合サンプルは約60 %と, 保存期間におけるビフィズス菌の生残性はいずれも高いことが確認された.

以上の結果より, ビフィズス菌添加後のアイスクリーム製造工程において, ビフィズス菌数へ最も影響を与えるのはフリージング工程でのフリージング温度であることが示された.

Soybean is a protein-rich and nutritionally valuable crop that plays a crucial role in supporting health-oriented dietary practices. Isolated soy protein, obtained through the concentration of soybean protein, has been reported to exhibit cholesterol-lowering effects. Furthermore, soy peptides produced via enzymatic hydrolysis of isolated soy protein demonstrate a range of bioactive properties, including anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive activities. These functional components have been increasingly applied in the formulation of health-promoting food products. In recent years, advances in soybean breeding have been directed toward modifying protein composition and enhancing functional constituents, with the aim of better addressing the demands of health-conscious consumers and contributing to the development of sustainable food systems.

Soybeans are an important source of protein and are known to have various health benefits. Here, I describe the structure and properties of soybean seed storage proteins, as well as their bioactive peptides. I also discuss cases in which soybean seed storage proteins with vaccine functionality or bioactive peptide properties are accumulated in soybeans or rice.