We provided dietary education through cooking classes for kindergarten children in order to introduce cooking to the children early in life and to provide information to their mothers with the objective of improving their dietary knowledge. The effects of the dietary education were then examined by comparing the knowledge of the mothers who participated in the cooking class versus those who did not participate at one month after the class. The content of the dietary education was evaluated by the kindergarten teachers and mothers who participated in the cooking class at the conclusion of the class. Questionnaires were administered to evaluate the dietary education, as well as to investigate the dietary behavior of the children and their mothers. The analysis of the collected data revealed the following results:
1.  Kindergarten teachers rated the cooking class highly, and those mothers who participated felt positive about having their children attend the class;
2.  The dietary education improved the mothers’understanding of appropriate foods, reasonable snack sizes, and dietary knowledge. After the education they were also more willing to create more cooking opportunities for their children (e.g. They were more likely to let their children use knives).
3.  The analysis of the data collected one month after the cooking class did not reveal any statistically significance differences in the children’s dietary behavior such as greetings at snack time and cooking participation between those children who participated in the cooking class and those who did not. However, slightly more children in the participating group washed their hands before snacking. Mothers in the participating group showed more interest in nutrition labeling (p<0.05).

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For the rice flours purchased commonly, the rice flours on the market were used as materials. It was examined if the eight rice flours could make the rice flours breads. The physical properties were examined. The three of eight were examined by the sensory evaluation. It was possible to make rice bread from all the eight rice flours. Judging from the total scores of sensory evaluation of three rice flours breads, the rice flours of Tomizawa Store was most suitable for rice flours breads.

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To promote the ability to practice desirable dietary habits, a shokuiku program was introduced to six grades of elementary school children (a total of 107 students in three classes) from July to November 2011. The program was composed of five subjects: 1) understanding the importance of regular dietary life, 2) understanding how much and what to eat for health, 3) learning how to prepare a nutritionally balanced lunch according to the “Lunch Box Diet Method”, which consists of three parts staple food, two parts side dishes, and one part main dish in a suitable volume of lunch box for their age, 4) learning basic cooking methods by using menus for a reasonable nutritionally balanced lunch, and 5) practicing cooking their own lunch. The effects of this program were verified by analyzing children’s drawings of a nutritionally balanced lunch, an image map connected with food, and a questionnaire study before and after the program. As a result, the students seemed to have understood well and learned how to practice healthy dietary habits. To more fully develop children’s ability to practice healthy dietary habits, the importance of the coordination between school programs and daily home dietary education was indicated.

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Regardless of the consumption of the same amount of allergen-related foods, allergens were detected in some breast milk samples while not in the others. Breast milk is a secretory fluid. Therefore, concentrations of secretory fluid could potentially be linked with the concentration of allergens in the breast milk. Thus, the total protein and the levels of one particular protein, lactoferrin, in the breast milk were measured.
The concentration of ovalbumin in breast milk was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit, previously reported by us. The limit of ovalbumin level in breast milk is 312ng/ml. The Lowry method was used for measuring the total protein. A Lactoferrin Human ELISA Kit was used to measure the lactoferrin levels.
Therefore, we investigated cases wherein the level of ovalbumin was below or above 312ng/ml. We found no significant difference when we compared the total protein level between breast milk with ovalbumin below 312 ng/ml and that above 312ng/ml.
When we compared the lactoferrin level between breast milk with ovalbumin below 312ng/ml and that above 312ng/ml, a significant difference was observed.
Consequently, if the ovalbumin level in breast milk is >312ng/ml, the lactoferrin level is high, while if the ovalbumin level is <312 ng/ml, the lactoferrin level is low (P<0.01).
When evaluating the concentrations of ovalbumin in breast milk, the lactoferrin levels might be used as the point of reference.

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Using an eye mark recorder, we measured the observation of breastfeeding pictures by breastfeeding support professionals (professional group) and those who had no experience of breastfeeding (inexperienced group). When a picture of an infant’s face was presented, the professional group carefully observed the infant’s mouth and throat, and when a whole body picture was presented, they carefully observed the infant’s body and the mother’s part. In contrast, the places the inexperienced group observed varied amongst the subjects. Regarding the number of eye movements, the professional group was found to turn their eyes to the mother’s part a significantly larger number of times than the inexperienced group. When the subjects were asked to judge whether the mothers in the pictures had breastfeeding problems or not, a higher percentage of the professional group replied that they could not judge, while the inexperienced group tended to assume that the pictures given in books or other materials must be examples of either good or bad breastfeeding. Breastfeeding support should be provided with the understanding that, except for breastfeeding support professionals, attention is paid to different places in breastfeeding pictures. The results also suggest that breastfeeding pictures presented to nursing or expecting mothers should be those they can easily judge whether the mothers in the pictures had breastfeeding problems or not and where they should pay attention.

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The aim of this research is to advance the efficiency of food education by bringing out the influence of “one pot to one person” cultivation of Gymnema sylvestre R. Br.
The interest level of taste and food was significantly higher in the groups which worked out “one pot to one person” cultivation of Gymnema sylvestre R. Br . compared to the groups which did not. It has been clarified from the authors’research that the interest level increases by usual taste education. However, further effect is shown by working out the cultivation experience, which indicates the effectiveness of “one pot to one person” cultivation. In addition, an impression of taste education such as “Interested” is increased in the groups experienced “one pot to one person” cultivation. It is difficult to add this cultivation to an usual taste education because it cost much time and money. However, we would like to enhance the efficiency of taste education by carrying out “one pot to one person” cultivation of Gymnema sylvestre R. Br. to each person if requested.

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