Toyo College of Food Technology

A forced convection greenhouse dryer was developed and used for drying of freshly harvested paddy. The solar greenhouse dryer of size 4.47 × 2.13 m with 2.59 m central height was constructed and covered with 6 mm polycarbonates sheet. Photovoltaic power driven direct current fans were used to provide forced ventilation. Freshly harvested paddy was dried at 50, 100 and 150 mm bed thickness in the hybrid greenhouse dryer and open sun drying during kharif and rabi seasons of 2016. The kharif harvested paddy was dried from 25.3 % to 12.0 % (w.b.) moisture content at 100 mm bed thickness within 21 h, 28 h of drying in the hybrid greenhouse dryer and open sun drying, respectively. Highest drying rates were 1.54 kg.h-1 and 1.35 kg.h-1 in greenhouse dryer and open sun drying, respectively. During rabi season, paddy was dried from 22.8 % to 12.0 % (w.b.) moisture content within 19 h and 25 h with highest drying rates of 1.65 kg.h-1 and 0.97 kg.h-1, respectively, in the hybrid greenhouse dryer and open sun drying. Thermal efficiency of the greenhouse dryer was 28.15 % and 22.15 %, and pickup efficiency was 15.49 % and 14.88 % during kharif and rabi seasons, respectively.

This study characterized the natural melanin from Auricularia auricula and investigated its hepatoprotective effect on mice with acute alcoholic liver injury. The characterization of the melanin was analyzed based on elemental analysis, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-visible), infrared spectrum (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra (NMR). To determine the liver protective effect of Auricularia auricula melanin, mice were administered with the melanin once daily for 3 weeks before ethanol induced liver injury. Biochemical parameters of liver function, histopathological sections, mRNA and protein expression of antioxidant enzyme were compared between mice with or without the melanin administered. Results showed that A. auricula melanin was a eumelanin and the average molecular weight was 48.99 kDa. The melanin can protect the mice from ethanol-induced liver injury by extending the duration of the righting reflex, and shortening the duration of the recovery. The liver index, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) and liver malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in mice treated with the melanin were significantly decreased. At the same time, the levels of liver alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and antioxidase such as catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were increased. Its protective effect may be related to the activation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its downstream antioxidant enzymes such as glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic (GCLC), glutamate cysteine ligase modifier (GCLM), and NADP(H) quinine oxidoreductase 1 (NQO-1). These results suggested that A. auricula melanin may be an effective strategy to alleviate alcohol-induced liver damage.

A reduction in chemical phosphate (P) fertilizer application to farmland from 137.6 kg P ha−1 in 1985 to 99.0 kg P ha−1 in 2005 and in manure application from 42.4 kg P ha−1 in 1985 to 32.8 kg P ha−1 in 2005 did not reduce crop P uptake, which averaged 27 kg P ha−1 over the period. Phosphate balance on farmland declined from 153.0 kg P ha−1 in 1985 to 105.4 kg P ha−1 in 2005 while livestock excreta disposal increased from 12.7 kg P ha−1 in 1985 to 23.7 kg P ha−1 in 2005. As a result, residual P associated with agriculture declined from 165.8 kg P ha−1 in 1985 to 129.1 kg P ha−1 in 2005. Phosphate utilization efficiency increased from 15.7% in 1985 to 20.1% in 2005. Median, minimum and maximum values of P flows by region showed similar trends. Phosphate input and withdrawal through crop production by region were not related to regional nitrogen (N) input and withdrawal through crop production. Although non-utilized P associated with agriculture has declined nationally and regionally, it is still higher than that in foreign countries, because of high chemical P fertilizer inputs and low crop yield withdrawal. Because soil P fertility was often sufficiently high previous large P surpluses, reducing P applications did not affect crop yields. Crop P uptake was less than half that of crop N yield. These results indicate that P inputs, especially by chemical fertilizer, for crop production could be reduced, thereby reducing negative environmental effects such as eutrophication of soil and water and conserving limited P resources.

The greening of canned oysters was found first in canned oysters cultivated in Matsushima bay about ten years ago and also found in canned oysters cultivated in Hiroshima bay a few years ago.According to reseachers or canned manufactures the greening of canned oysters cultivated in Matsushima bay differs from the greening of those cultivated in Hiroshima bay.For the purpose of deciding whether the greening of canned oysters cultivated in Matsushima bay and in Hiroshima bay are based on different pigments or not, the green pigments of canned oysters cultivated in Matsushima bay were extracted with hydrochloric acid-acetone mixture and further purified by the method described in case of oysters of Hiroshima bay.The green pigments of canned oysters cultivated in Matsushima bay were separated into five components. Judging from the experimental results obtained by physico-chemical reaction, absorption spectral analysis, thin layer chromatography, solubility test, infra-red spectral analysis and micro elemental analysis, it was concluded that the green pigments of canned oysters of Matsushima bay are alike to those of oysters of Hiroshima bay and its greening is derived from chlorophyll a derivatives.