Supplementation with Japanese bunching onion (Allium fistulosum L.) expressing a single alien chromosome from shallot increases the antioxidant activity of Kamaboko fish jelly paste in vitro.

Kamaboko is a traditional type of processed seafood made from fish jelly paste that is unique to Japan. We supplemented Kamaboko with Japanese bunching onion (Allium fistulosum L.) with an alien monosome from shallot (Allium cepa L. Aggregatum group) and we measured in vitro the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) value, an index of antioxidant activity. We also evaluated the results of sensory testing. The ORAC value of plain Kamaboko was 166±14 µmol trolox equivalent (TE)/100 g fresh weight (FW). The values of the edible Alliaceae powder, i.e., Japanese bunching onion (JBO, genome FF, 2n=2x=16) and the alien addition line of JBO carrying the 6A chromosome from shallot (FF+6A, 2n=2x+1=17), were 6,659±238 and 14,096±635 µmol TE/100 g dry weight (DW). We hypothesized that the 6A chromosome encoded the enhancement of polyphenol production. Subsequently, we created Kamaboko containing 4.8% JBO powder or 4.8% FF+6A powder. The ORAC value of each modified Kamaboko product was increased to 376±24 µmol TE/100 g FW for the JBO powder and to 460±16 µmol TE/100 g FW for the FF+6A powder, respectively. We next created Kamaboko containing 9.0% JBO powder or 9.0% FF+6A powder and the ORAC values of the respective modified Kamaboko products was increased to 671±16 and 740±21 µmol TE/100 g FW, i.e., 4.1- and 4.5-times the value of plain Kamaboko. Consequently, taking into consideration the sensory evaluation regarding taste and appearance as well, the use of Kamaboko supplemented with 4.8% FF+6A powder is recommended.

Effects of anaerobic processing of soybean seeds on the properties of tofu.

Oxygenation of lipids during the processing soybeans affects the flavor properties of soy products. We prepared tofu under anaerobic conditions and then evaluated its sensory properties and the compositions of volatiles and oxidized lipids. Anaerobic processing resulted in tofu with less intense richness (kokumi) concomitant with reductions in the amounts of oxidized lipids and volatile compounds.

Oxylipin metabolism in soybean seeds containing different sets of lipoxygenase isozymes after homogenization.

The oxylipin metabolism was analyzed in soybean homogenates containing different sets of lipoxygenase isozymes (L-1, -2, and -3); namely, Suzuyutaka (containing L-1, -2, and -3), Yumeyutaka (containing only L-1), Kanto102 (containing L-2), Kyushu119 (containing L-3), and Ichihime (lacking all three isozymes). The amount of oxidized fatty acids in the esterified form was higher than that in the free form with every cultivar. Kanto102 formed the highest amount of oxidized lipids, and Yumeyutaka and Ichihime formed the lowest. With Kanto102 and Kyushu119, high amounts of keto fatty acids were formed, while they were undetectable with Yumeyutaka and Ichihime. Due to the lack of lipoxygenases in Ichihime, an accumulation of free fatty acids was expected; however, their amount in Yumeyutaka was significantly lower than was expected. It is suggested that a pathway existed to form C6-volatiles through hydroperoxides in the esterified form.

Charge number effect on the miscibility of inorganic salt and surfactant in adsorbed film and micelle: inorganic salt-octyl methyl sulfoxide mixtures.

Adsorption and micelle formation of a surfactant in the presence of inorganic salts with different charge numbers of cations were investigated from the viewpoint of mixed adsorption and micelle formation of salt and surfactant. Surface tension of aqueous solutions of the mixtures of octyl methyl sulfoxide (OMS) with calcium chloride and lanthanum chloride was measured as a function of the total molality of the mixture and the mole fraction of OMS in the mixture at 298.15 K under atmospheric pressure. Composition of the adsorbed film and micelle was numerically evaluated from the dependence of the total molality at a given surface tension and the mixture CMC on the bulk composition to draw phase diagrams of adsorption and micelle formation. Judging from the phase diagrams together with the ones of the sodium chloride system, miscibility of inorganic salt and OMS in the adsorbed film and micelle increases with an increase in the charge number of inorganic cation, which is attributable to the attractive interaction between inorganic cation and the polar head group of OMS molecule in the adsorbed film and micelle.

Analysis of gene expression in human colorectal cancer tissues by cDNA array.

BACKGROUND: The development and progression of cancer are accompanied by complex changes in patterns of gene expression. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relevance of macroarray analysis of human colorectal cancer tissues. METHODS: Hybridization of cDNA macroarray filters on which 550 genes had been spotted was performed with biotin-labeled cDNA targets that were prepared from mRNA extracted from 20 pairs of colorectal cancer and corresponding noncancerous tissues. Expression of differentially expressed genes was further studied by semiquantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: Fourteen (2.5%) of the 550 genes were differentially expressed and up- or downregulated in cancer tissues by at least threefold compared with matched noncancerous tissues in 10 or more of the 20 patients. The genes that were upregulated in cancer tissues were associated with transcription, cell cycle, growth factor receptor, cell adhesion, extracellular matrix-degrading enzymes, and angiogenesis, and the downregulated genes were those involved in apoptosis and immune recognition. Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis of these differentially expressed genes gave results consistent with those by cDNA array analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Although the macroarray used in this study contained only a small number of genes, our results support the feasibility and usefulness of this approach to study variation in gene expression patterns in human colorectal cancer tissues. The results also suggest the possibility of a diagnostic application of cDNA macroarrays in daily clinical settings.

Effect of the Head Group of Surfactant on the Miscibility of Sodium Chloride and Surfactant in an Adsorbed Film and Micelle.

The thermodynamic treatment of a surfactant mixture was applied to the mixture of sodium chloride, NaCl, with octyl methyl sulfoxide (OMS) and that with decyldimethylphosphine oxide (DePO). The surface tension of aqueous solutions of the mixtures was measured as a function of the total concentration and the composition of the mixtures at 298.15 K. The total surface densities of the mixtures and the composition of the adsorbed films and micelles were evaluated by applying thermodynamic equations to the expeimental results. It was found that the adsorbed film and micelle are almost composed of the surfactant and there is slight attractive interaction between the ions of NaCl and the head groups of OMS and DePO molecules in the adsorbed films and micelles. A difference in the miscibility of NaCl and surfactant was observed between the OMS and DePO systems and attributed to the difference in the hydration of the head group between OMS and DePO molecules. The comparison of these results with those of the mixtures of NaCl with tetraethylene glycol monooctyl ether (C(8)E(4)) and dodecylammonium chloride (DAC) indicated that the small difference in the miscibility in an adsorbed film and micelle among these nonionic surfactant systems arises from the difference in hydration and structure of the head groups and the large one between the nonionic surfactant and DAC systems results from electrostatic interactions between dodecylammonium and sodium ions. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.