In order to clarify the synergistic hypocholesterolemic effect of cycloartenol on β-sitosterol, which isknown to lower serum cholesterol, twenty-one young female volunteers participated in a series of dietary experiments. The participants were divided into three groups and were given an experimental diet for two five-day periods in a 26-day observation period. In the first experimental period, they were given the following diet: group A, control diet; group B, diet containing soybean sterols with cycloartenol; group C, diet containing soybean sterols. In the second period after a one-week recess, the respective diets for groups C, A and B were given. The results indicated that the serum cholesterol levels of all groups had decreased, and that among them, group C showed the most significant effect. The fecal excretion of cholesterol metabolites in group C after the second experimental period showed a greater increase than that in group A after the first period. These results suggested that cycloartenol showed a synergistic effect with β-sitosterol in reducing the level of serum cholesterol.

View full abstract

The efficacy of behavioral meal scheduling therapy plus a very-low-calorie conventional Japanese diet for weight-loss and maintenance was studied in eight moderately obese female patients. A 370-kcal very-low-calorie conventional Japanese diet was administered under 7-day inpatient conditions, and was preceded by 1, 000-kcal and 700-kcal diets for 3 days each, respectively. Average weight loss was 20.6±7.8kg during the therapy period, specifically, 5.7±0.7kg over 13 inpatient days for the combined treatment and 4.3±2.5kg over 12 months after discharge. Daily food consumption during the 3- and 12-month follow-up periods was 933.3±62.2 and 1, 013.3±41.4kcal, respectively. These energy intake levels were significantly decreased compared with those at the first visit and on admission for combined therapy. The difference of weight loss during combined therapy showed a negative correlation with that during behavioral meal scheduling therapy: combined therapy thus seems promising for patients who have failed with behavioral therapy. Hunger disappeared and serum lipids were norma-1ized. Fat cell volume and total body fat mass were reduced. These results indicated a greater effect than those previously reported. The superiority of the combined therapy was attributed to synergism due to improved perceptual and/or conceptual cognition, which was promoted by the very-low-calorie conventional Japanese diet.

View full abstract

Various egg white proteolysates were prepared by incubating egg white with a Rhizopus protease for various times. The nutritional values of the proteolysates were determined from examinations of the growth of young rats. Among the proteolysates, small peptides (EWP-5) with a percentage hydrolysis of 18.3 were found to be excellent. The nutritional value of EWP-5 was higher than that of an amino acid mixture simulating egg white, and about the same as that of egg white in paired feeding. The activities of serum alkaline phosphatase, total cholesterol and phospholipid were higher in the amino acid mixture group than in the egg white and EWP-5 groups. A comparison of growth among rats fed a diet of purified egg protein, casein, soy protein isolate, egg white, EWP-5 and an amino acid mixture simulating EWP-5 was performed. The results showed that the gain in body weight of the EWP-5 group was superior to that of the rats given soy protein isolate, amino acid mixture simulating EWP-5, casein and egg white, and about the same as that of the group given purified egg protein. Although the first limiting amino acid of EWP-5 is tryptophan (amino acid value, 67), no supplemental effect of tryptophan on the EWP-5 diet was observed. The present study demonstrated that small peptides are utilized more efficiently than a protein and amino acid mixture.

View full abstract

In order to investigate the effect of different forms of tryptophan on the metabolism of tryptophanniacin, the levels of NAD in blood and liver, and the urinary excretion of N1-methylnicotinamide were measured in rats fed a diet of egg white, egg white proteolysate (EWP-5) or a mixture of amino acids simulating EWP-5, all of which have almost the same amino acid composition. The blood NAD levels in rats fed a nicotinic acid-free, sucrose-supplemented diet of egg white, EWP-5 and amino acid mixture were about the same, and the order of the urinary excretion level of N1-methylnicotinamide was: EWP-5 group>egg white group>amino acid mixture group. For a diet consisting of an α-cornstarch: sucrose (2: 1) mixture containing nicotinic acid, the order of NAD levels in the blood and liver were: EWP-5 group>egg white group>amino acid mixture group, and the urinary excretion of N1-methylnicotinamide was higher in the EWP-5 group than in the egg white and amino acid mixture groups. From the above findings, it was concluded that the order of conversion ratio from tryptophan to niacin is small peptide>protein>amino acid mixture.

View full abstract

The bioavailability as calcium sources of dibasic calcium phosphate, calcium lactate and calcium carbonate was compared by means of in vivo and in situ experiments. For the in vivo experiment, vitamin D-deficient rats were fed ad libitum on food containing either dibasic calcium phosphate, calcium lactate or calcium carbonate with oral administration of vitamin D₃ (200IU/rat/day). There were no significant differences in body weight, food consumption or plasma concentrations of calcium, phosphorus and 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ among the three groups after one week. In the in situ experiment, intestinal calcium absorption of the three calcium compounds was studied using an intestinal loop circulation method using vitamin D-replete and vitamin D-deficient rats. Again, little difference was observed among the respective data for the three calcium compounds. From these results, we concluded that there was practically no significant difference among the three compounds with regard to their bioavailability as calcium sources.

View full abstract

The influence of the texture of processed foods on parotid salivary secretion and mastication in humans were studied. Unilateral parotid saliva was collected from six subjects while they masticated and swallowed pieces of food obtained commercially. Processed foods were divided into 27 groups according to their texture, i. e., soft and hard, smooth and rough, and non-adhesive and adhesive. The water contents of the test foods were between 3% and 92%. The amounts of salivary flow showed specific fluctuations ranging from 0.01 to 1.33ml/g depending on the texture. Mastication time varied from 0.74 to 53.3sec/g. Significant correlations were observed between texture and mastication time. It was observed that the harder or rougher the texture, the greater the saliva flow and the longer the time needed for mastication up to swallowing. In nine foods having a high water content (between 70% and 92%), there was a correlation between the degree of softness and, salivary flow, and also between mastication time and the degree of softness. The rate of salivary flow for adhesive foods was higher than that for non-adhesive foods. These results indicated that the texture of processed foods obviously influences both the secretion of saliva and mastication time.

View full abstract

The contents of crude ash, calcium, phosphorus, iodine and iron in the seaweed “Wakame” (Undaria pinnatifida) were determined and compared at different growth stages, and for different parts and different root cultivation intervals. Crude ash, calcium and iron contents decreased with advancing growth stages. Phosphorus content was highest at the third stage, whereas iodine content was independent of growth stage. The mineral contents of leaves, stipes, fruiting bodies and rhizoids of “Wakame” at different growth stages were determined. Densely cultured “Wakame” showed higher contents of crude ash and iron, and a lower calcium content than thinly cultured plants. Contents of iodine and phosphorus were not affected by changes in environmental conditions. The P/Ca molar ratio reached a maximum at the middle stage.

View full abstract

The embryo and cotyledon compositions of Beeson soybeans grown in Ohio, U.S.A., were examined, and their properties investigated. The embryo and cotyledon lipid compositions were 92-93% neutral lipid, 4.0-4.9% glycolipid and 3.0-3.1% phospholipid, respectively. As for neutral lipid, triacylglycerol showed a ratio as high as 85.4-94.8%, whereas more phosphatidylcholine was present in phospholipid. The contents of major fatty acids in the embryo and cotyledon lipids were C_{18: 2}, C_{18: 1}, C_{16: 0} and C_{18: 3}. The content of unsaponifiables in the embryo was as high as 5.1%, being approximately 6 times the level present in the cotryledon. The content of 4-desnethylsterol in the embryo was approximately 10 times that of the cotyledon, and was composed of about 70% sitosterol. Total tocopherol in the embryo was larger than that in the cotyledon, and was composed of about 65% γ-tocopherol.

View full abstract

The preventive effects of soya lecithin, and of gallic or thiodipropionic acid on the thermal decomposition of tocopherol (Toc) in hardened oils (palm and rapeseed) were investigated. The oils with or without these compounds (0.1% each, respectively) were heated at 180°C for 10h or 20h in a glass tube for the AOM test. The residual Toc and oxidative stability of oils after heating were determined by HPLC and the weighing method or by oven test, respectively. The degree of thermal decomposition of Toc after heating was observed to be much higher in hardened rapeseed oil than in rapeseed oil, and the ratio of thermal decomposition of Toc depended on the difference in the degree of hydrogenation of the rapeseed oil. The order of oxidative stability for each of the heated oils was as follows; hardened rapeseed oil I (I.V.; 82.5) > hardened rapeseed oil II (I.V.; 70.9) > rapeseed oil (I.V.; 117.3). The ratio of residual Toc in the hardened rapeseed oil after heating was higher in the presence of lecithin, and of gallic or thiodipropionic acid, than in the absence of these compounds which were therefore shown to improve the oxidative stability of the oils after heating.

View full abstract

The zinc, iron, cobalt, cesium and scandium contents of the meat and edible viscera of Japanese cattle, swine and chicken were determined by non-destructive neutron activation analysis. The zinc contents were as follows: from 43.9 to 79.3ppm for beef, from 19.1 to 45.0ppm for cattle edible viscera, from 20.4 to 114.9ppm for pork from 39.3 to 94.7ppm for swine edible viscera, from 3.5 to 10.8ppm for chicken, and from 7.5 to 21.8ppm for chicken edible viscera. The iron contents were: from 10.7 to 24.9ppm for beef, from 4.0 to 41.1ppm for cattle edible viscera, from 12.5 to 27.5ppm for pork, from 12.5 to 325.6ppm for swine edible viscera, from 2.3 to 5.5ppm for chicken, and from 6.7 to 47.5ppm for chicken edible viscera. The contents of cobalt, cesium and scandium detected were in the order of ppb ar not detectable. The correlations between iron content and cobalt content, and between iron content and zinc content were investigated.

View full abstract