〔報 文〕 ピータン調製方法に関する文献調査とその検討

Pidan is a type of food produced by coagulation through alkaline denaturation, of the protein contained in eggs. Pidan is prepared according to traditional methods that are often unclear. Lead monoxide and copper sulfate are often used, as they were purported to promote coagulation of the egg. The current Food Sanitation Act in Japan forbids the use of chemicals that include heavy metals such as lead monoxide in the pidan preparation process. The lead content standard for pidan imported from China is 0.5 mg or less per 1 kg. In 2013, however, problems arose in China with pidan made using copper sulfate. For food safety reasons, it is desirable to make and distribute pidan within Japan. In this study, we located methods of preparing pidan in the literature, summarized them, and compared the methods. A literature search on methods of pidan preparation revealed 13 studies on coating methods, 11 on immersion methods, and 6 on mixed methods. Examination of these methods revealed that the materials used as the alkaline agent in the coating method were sodium carbonate, lime(including quicklime and lime hydrate), and plant ash. Salt was added to all coating agents. Some methods used black tea. In the immersion method, highly alkaline sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate were used as well as quicklime. Few used plant ash. Some methods added black tea leaves. In the mixed method, highly alkaline chemicals were used to coagulate the egg, similar to the immersion method, and the egg was then coated with an alkaline agent and allowed to age. We then selected one method each from among the coating and immersion methods discussed in the literature and used them to prepare pidan using chicken and quail eggs. The immersion method was easier and had a higher success rate than the coating method. In particular, immersing quail eggs for 10 days and then coating them in paraffin for 52 days sometimes resulted in "Shokatan" eggs, which have white pine needle-shaped crystals on the egg white

〔研究ノート〕 ビールの抗酸化力

Polyphenols in hops used in beer are known to have antioxidative potency. Melanoidins, brown substances which have antioxidative potency, are also known to be present in beer. Therefore, the author measured the antioxidative activities of 20 kinds of commercial beer, and, for comparison, an antioxidant additive-free bottled red wine. The samples were purchased at the store and were investigated using the BAP(Biological Anti-oxidant Potential)testing method. All the tested beers showed substantial amounts of antioxidative activity though the amount varied from brand to brand. Each 350 milliliters of beer tested had similar levels of antioxidative potency to 125 milliliters of red wine tested

〔総説〕サルコペニア: 運動による予防機序

Sarcopenia is a syndrome characterized by loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function that occurs as a consequence of aging. Muscle mass represents a main determinant of muscle strength and has been strongly associated with performance in activities of daily living and the level of independence in the elderly. The decline in the total number of muscle fibers and specific atrophy of type II fibers contributes to the loss of skeletal muscles. Both endurance exercise and resistance training can delay the onset of sarcopenia via different mechanisms. Endurance exercise training improves muscle function by increases in mitochondrial and capillary number and eventually enhances exercise performance. Resistance training activates satellite cells around type II fibers and protein synthesis in myocytes. Increased muscle mass may prevent fat accumulation via secretion of myokines in skeletal muscles. The molecular mechanisms of both types of exercise to delay the onset of sarcopenia are summarized

〔研究ノート〕飲料に含まれる抗酸化物質の効力について

Excessive active oxygens in the body can cause aging and various diseases. Antioxidant enzymes present in the body clear the excessive active oxygens. However, these enzymes become weaker with age. Antioxidants are expected to eliminate the active oxygens that remain after the actions of antioxidant enzymes. Vitamin C contained in juice is a well-known antioxidant, as are catechins in teas and polyphenols in red wines. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the antioxidants in our everyday beverages. The evaluation of the antioxidants in various beverages was performed by FREE(Free Radical Elective Evaluator)(Diacron International Ltd.)and BAP(Biological Anti-oxidant Potential)kit(Diacron International Ltd.). BAP uses the reactions below:1. FeCl3+AT(colorless)→[FeCl3-AT(coloring)] 2. [FeCl3-AT(coloring)]+BP(e-)→FeCl2+AT(colorless)+BP (AT: thiocyanate, BP: antioxidant) The antioxidant capacities in various kinds of soft drinks, teas and wines were evaluated by measuring the changes in absorbance. High antioxidant capacities were found in beverages containing a lot of vitamin C, catechins and polyphenols

〔研究ノート〕 生姜の抗酸化力

Ginger has a unique flavor and a sharp, strong taste, and is widely used in such dishes as ginger-fried pork, as a garnish for sashimi and in sweets. Ginger contains some physiologically active substances like gingerols and shogaols. For example, intake of shogaols results in an increase in body temperature. Furthermore, ginger is believed to be an antioxidant. This paper investigates the antioxidative activities in 8 different gingers; raw ginger grown in three different areas and five different types of packaged grated ginger, using the BAP(Biological Anti-oxidant Potential)testing method. Each sample liquid was obtained by squeezing the materials. All the samples showed some antioxidative activities

〔研究ノート〕 キノアおよびヒエ穀部の抗アレルギー活性の探索

A model of intestinal epithelium was made using Caco-2 cells and RBL-2H3 cells. Water extracts of husked quinoa and japanese millet were added respectively to the mucosal epithelium side of the Caco-2 cells. The histamine release and the expression of TNF-α in the RBL-2H3 cells were assayed. The quinoa and the japanese millet extracts significantly reduced the histamine release from the RBL-2H3 cells. Similarly, the expression of TNF-α in both cases showed a tendency to decrease

〔研究ノート〕健康な女子大学生の安静時代謝における 月経周期に伴う変動についての予備的研究

In previous studies, it is controversial whether basal metabolic rate in females fluctuates according to their menstrual cycle. Therefore, in this study, we measured resting metabolic rate(RMR)of six healthy female university students for about one month and evaluated the fluctuation pattern according to their menstrual cycles. Participants measured basal body temperature at supine position immediately upon awakening every day. During the recording period, RMR was measured by indirect calorimetry at least 3 times per week. Fluctuation patterns of basal body temperature and RMR as related to the menstrual cycle were analyzed by sinusoidal curve fitting. The results showed that, for all participants, basal body temperature fluctuated according to the menstrual cycle and was the highest during the luteal phase. On the other hand, the peak of the RMR fluctuation occurred in luteal phase for 4 participants and in the follicular phase for 2 participants. These results indicate that RMR in females does not necessarily fluctuate according to the menstrual cycle. We suggest that the RMR may be maintained at a relatively constant rate by means of the mechanism to compensate for fluctuation of body temperature as related to the menstrual cycle

〔研究ノート〕 ひよこ豆テンペの抗酸化性に関する研究

Intravital lipid peroxidation is associated with the onset of diseases including atherosclerosis and cancer. Antioxidants such as polyphenols and peptides have been reported to prevent peroxidation. Our laboratory previously found that soybean tempeh, a traditional fermented soy food from Indonesia, possesses stronger antioxidant activity than unfermented soybeans. The aim of the present study is to establish whether chickpea tempeh also demonstrates elevated antioxidant properties compared with unfermented chickpeas using DPPH radical scavenging activity and β-carotene bleaching assays. Our results showed that total polyphenol content in chickpeas increased by up to 40% during fermentation. In addition, the DPPH assay revealed that the antioxidant activity of the chickpeas tempeh was stronger than that of unfermented chickpeas

〔研究ノート〕幼児の食生活に関する調査研究-朝食摂取を中心に-

The objective of the present study is to investigate approaches to dietary education at nursery schools by elucidating the actual dietary life of nursery school children and the dietary awareness of their parents. A questionnaire survey was conducted on a total of 1,049 parents of 4-year-old children attending public nursery schools in Ward S of Tokyo. Ninety seven point two percent of the responses were valid and the following results were obtained:1 A total of 97.4% of children ate breakfast every day, while 2.6% sometimes skipped it. Reasons for skipping it were lack of appetite(55.6%)and lack of time(27.8%).2 Regarding the people children ate breakfast with, the most common response was the mother(81.8%), and while few responded that their children ate alone(2.8%), 10.2% indicated that their children ate with other children only. Eating with other children only was associated with a low level of enjoyment, and the frequency of greetings before and after eating was also lower compared to when children ate with adults.3 As for the contents of breakfast, while 97.2% regularly ate a carbohydrate rich staple food, only 63.9% and 38.1% of children respectively ate a protein rich main dish such as fish or meat, and a side dish such as vegetables or seaweed every day. Breakfast contents were classified into five patterns, and the most common pattern was "Pattern 2: Staple food + one main or side dish"(33.9%), followed by the ideal combination of "Pattern 1: Staple food + main dish + side dish"(32.1%), and "Staple food only"(30.8%). Although few children skipped breakfast, these findings indicate the need to improve breakfast contents.4 "Pattern 1: Staple food + main dish + side dish" was more common among children who ate with adults compared to those who ate with other children only, children of parents who liked cooking compared to those of parents who disliked cooking, and among children who did not dislike any vegetables and children whose parents checked the lunch menu of their children\u27s nursery school every day.5 Intake of restaurant food, pre-cooked food, boxed meals, and convenience store food for breakfast was no more than once weekly. Intake of frozen food was slightly more frequent. These findings suggest that factors that positively affect breakfast intake among nursery school children include eating with adults overcoming any dislike of vegetables with the help of adults, and the parents coming to like cooking and developing a greater awareness regarding their children\u27s diet