Published Papers - TAKARA Kensaku

Screening of Lactic Acid Bacteria for Production of GABA-Enriched Non-Centrifugal Brown Sugar "<i>Kokuto</i>", Isolated from Sugar Cane Bagasse

HIROSE Naoto, MAEDA Goki, TERUYA Ryo, TAKARA Kensaku, WADA Koji

Food Preservation Science ( Japan Association of Food Preservation Scientists )  44 ( 1 ) 17 - 21   2018 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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<p> Novel lactic acid bacteria <i>Enterococcus</i> sp. AG34 was isolated from sugar cane bagasse. AG34 was grown in sugar cane juice and produced <i>γ</i>-aminobutyric acid (GABA), for which addition of yeast extract was not necessary. AG34 was inoculated into sugar cane juice containing 0.2% sodium glutamate and cultured at 30℃. GABA-enriched <i>Kokuto</i> containing 357.4 mg GABA per 100 g <i>Kokuto</i> was made from juice that was fermented for 24 h. In addition, the data suggested that AG34 does not produce any substance that inhibits the solidification of <i>Kokuto</i>.</p>

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Physical Properties, Flavor Characteristics and Antioxidant Capacity of Shimatogarashi (<i>Capsicum frutescens</i>)

Manikharda, Takahashi Makoto, Arakaki Mika, Yonamine Kaoru, Asikin Yonathan, Takara Kensaku, Wada Koji

Food Science and Technology Research ( 社団法人 日本食品科学工学会 )  23 ( 3 ) 427 - 435   2017.03 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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<p>Physical properties, flavor characteristics and antioxidant properties of the red mature peppers of Shimatogarashi (<i>Capsicum frutescens</i>) were compared to Takanotsume peppers (<i>Capsicum annuum</i>) as the control. Compositions of organic acids and capsaicinoids differed between the peppers. Malic acid was the prevalent organic acid in Shimatogarashi, while citric acid was prevalent in Takanotsume. Shimatogarashi had higher capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin contents compared to Takanotsume. In terms of volatile compound compositions, the prevalent compounds in Shimatogarashi and Takanotsume peppers were hexanal and 10<i>s</i>,11<i>s</i>-himachala-3(12),4-diene, respectively. Overall, Shimatogarashi peppers were brightly colored, highly pungent with a fresh and fruity aroma, while Takanotsume peppers were dark red, moderately pungent with a warm and herbaceous aroma. As suggested by their total phenolic content and ORAC, Shimatogarashi peppers showed higher antioxidant activity compared to Takanotsume peppers.</p>

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In vivo and in vitro anti-obesity activities of dihydropyranocoumarins derivatives from Peucedanum japonicum Thunb

Naoyuki Taira, Ruwani N. Nugara, Masashi Inafuku, Kensaku Takara, Takayuki Ogi, Toshio Ichiba, Hironori Iwasaki, Takafumi Okabe, Hirosuke Oku

JOURNAL OF FUNCTIONAL FOODS ( ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV )  29   19 - 28   2017.02 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Several types of coumarins have been isolated from Peucedanum japonicum Thunb (PJT) and we previously reported the anti-obesity activity of pteryxin (PTX), as an active compound of PJT. However, during our research, we identified another variety of PJT, which does not contain any PTX. Here, we prepared concentrates from the two varieties of PJT and demonstrated that dietary PJT concentrates both with and without PTX significantly decreased the relative weights of white adipose tissue (WAT) and mRNA levels of lipogenic genes in epididymal WAT. Furthermore, we compared the inhibitory effects of dihydropyranocoumarins of PJT on lipid accumulation of differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. All of the dihydropyranocoumarins used in this study significantly inhibited lipid accumulation and lipogenic-related gene expressions in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. However, the magnitudes of the effects were distinctly different. The present study demonstrated that several dihydropyranocoumarins in PJT possess anti-obesity activities, which mainly act by inhibiting lipogenesis in adipocytes. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Development of GABA-enriched Non-centrifugal Brown Sugar;"<i>Kokuto</i>" by Lactic Acid Fermentation

HIROSE Naoto, MAEDA Goki, TERUYA Ryo, TAKARA Kensaku, WADA Koji

Food Preservation Science ( Japan Association of Food Preservation Scientists )  43 ( 6 ) 269 - 273   2017 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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<p> <i>γ</i>-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)-enriched non-centrifugal brown sugar, "<i>Kokuto</i>", was developed by lactic acid fermentation method. <i>Lactobacillus brevis</i> NBRC 3345 was inoculated into sugar cane juice containing added sodium glutamate and yeast extract and cultured at 30℃. Addition of the yeast extract was necessary for GABA production by <i>L. brevis</i> NBRC 3345 from sugar cane juice. Sodium glutamate and yeast extract were added to the sugar cane juice to a concentration of 0.2% each. GABA-enriched <i>Kokuto</i> containing 275mg GABA per 100g <i>Kokuto</i> was made successfully from the juice fermented for 24h. Solid <i>Kokuto</i> could not be produced from juice fermented for 30h. However, it was possible to produce solid <i>Kokuto</i> containing 302mg GABA per 100g <i>Kokuto</i>, when fresh juice and fermented juice were mixed in a ratio of 1:4.</p>

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Quantification of Nicotianamine Content in Edible Plants: A Comparative Study under Fresh, Cold Storage, and Cooking Conditions

TAKARA Kensaku, NAGAMINE Shin, ASHIMINE Ryoya, MIYAGI Kazuna, WADA Koji

Food Preservation Science ( Japan Association of Food Preservation Scientists )  43 ( 3 ) 111 - 118   2017 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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<p> In this work, nicotianamine content in 142 plant parts of 79 edible plants species was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography, with pre-column derivatization using 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl chloride. The change in nicotianamine content in vegetables during cold storage and cooking process was also investigated. Of the 142 plant part studied, nicotianamine was detected in 138 parts. The highest amount of nicotianamine was found in soybean seeds, 289.7<i>μ</i>g g^-1 FW, followed by snow pea seeds, 232.1<i>μ</i>g g^-1 FW. In a comparison of the nicotianamine content present in different parts of the bean plant belonging to <i>Fabaceae</i> family, the seedpod was found to contain a significantly lesser amount than the seed part. Two squashes, of the <i>Cucumis</i> family, the Kabocha squash seed and Butternut squash seed were also rich in nicotianamine content, which was found to be 149.6<i>μ</i>g g^-1 FW and 137.7<i>μ</i>g g^-1 FW, respectively. Furthermore, seeds of the White Sapote fruit had a relatively high nicotianamine content of 52.58<i>μ</i>g g^-1 FW. In the other four samples of this fruit, either nicotianamine was present in a significantly lesser amount or it could not be detected. The residual percentage of nicotianamine after a period of one week in cold storage was almost the same when compared to fresh samples. A comparison of four cooking methods of three vegetables revealed that the residual nicotianamine content dramatically decreased by 24.3% in beans during the boiling process, in contrast to raw kidney beans. On the other hand, the residual nicotianamine content was nearly the same or changed very little (103.2%-86.7%) in all tested samples after microwaving.</p>

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Monogalactosyldiacylglycerol: An abundant galactosyllipid of Cirsium brevicaule A. GRAY leaves inhibits the expression of gene encoding fatty acid synthase

Masashi Inafuku, Kensaku Takara,Naoyuki Taira,Ruwani N. Nugara, Yasuo Kamiyama, Hirosuke Oku

Phytomedicine ( Science Direct )  23 ( 5 ) 509   2016.02

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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DNA damage protection against free radicals of two antioxidant neolignan glucosides from sugarcane molasses

Yonathan Asikin, Makoto Takahashi, Masami Mizu, Kensaku Takara, Hirosuke Oku, Koji Wada

J. Sci. Food Agric. ( Wiley Online Library )    2015.05 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Changes in the Physicochemical and Flavor Characteristics of the Okinawan Brown Sugar "<i>Kokuto</i>" during Storage at Ambient Temperature

HIROSE Naoto, MAEDA Goki, TAKARA Kensaku, WADA Koji

Food Preservation Science ( Japan Association of Food Preservation Scientists )  41 ( 6 ) 253 - 259   2015 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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<p> Changes in the physicochemical and flavor characteristics of the Okinawan brown sugar "<i>Kokuto</i>" during storage for 21 months at ambient temperature were investigated. Changes in moisture content and water activity were small. Decrease in L* value and increase in the color value were observed, and differences in color characteristics among different kinds of <i>Kokuto</i> reduced with preservation. The color value of <i>Kokuto</i> increased concomitantly with a decrease in free amino acid content. The change in polyphenolic content was small. The antioxidant activity of <i>Kokuto</i> increased till the sixth month and then decreased afterwards. During storage, the content of sulfur-containing compounds showed a large decrease, while the contents of 3-ethyl-2, 5-dimethylpyrazine and dihydro-2-methyl-3 (2<i>H</i>) -furanone increased. These results suggest that the Maillard reaction progressed during storage of <i>Kokuto</i> at ambient temperature. The degree of scattering of volatile compounds varied according to the samples of newly produced <i>Kokuto</i>; however, the difference in scattering reduced with preservation.</p>

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Changes in the physicochemical characteristics, including flavour components and Maillard reaction products, of non-centrifugal cane brown sugar during storage

Yonathan Asikin,Asahiro Kamiya, Masami Mizu, Kensaku Takara, Hajime Tamaki, and Koji Wada

Food Chemistry ( その他の出版社 )  149   170   2014.04 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Pteryxin: A coumarin in Peucedanum japonicum Thunb leaves exerts antiobesity activity through modulation of adipogenic gene network

Ruwani N. Nugara M.Sc., Masashi Inafuku, Kensaku Takara, Hironori Iwasaki, Hirosuke Oku

Nutrition ( Elsevier )  30   1177   2014.02 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

Antioxidant Activity of Sugarcane Molasses Against 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) Dihydrochloride-Induced Peroxyl Radicals

Yonathan Asikin, Makoto Takahashi, Takashi Mishima, Masami Mizu, Kensaku Takara, Koji Wada

Food Chemistry ( Elsevier )  141 ( 1 ) 466 - 472   2013.11 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Screening of Medicinal and Edible Plants in Okinawa, Japan, for Enhanced Proliferative and Collagen Synthesis Activities in NB1RGB Human Skin Fibroblast Cells

Makoto TAKAHASHI, Yonathan ASIKIN, Kensaku TAKARA, Koji WADA

Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry ( その他の出版社 )  76 ( 12 ) 2317   2012.12 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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A novel bioactive chalcone of Morus australis inhibits tyrosinase activity and melanin biosynthesis in B16 melanoma cells

M. Takahashi, K. Takara, T. Toyozato, K. Wada

Journal of Oleo Science ( その他の出版社 )  61 ( 10 ) 585   2012.10 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

The Composition of Volatile Aroma Components, Flavanones, and Polymethoxylated Flavones in Shiikuwasha (Citrus depressa Hayata) Peels of Different Cultivation Lines

Yonathan Asikin, Ikuko Taira, Sayuri Inafuku-Teramoto, Hidekazu Sumi, Hideaki Ohta, Kensaku Takara, and Koji Wada

Journal of Agricaltural and Food Chemistry ( その他の出版社 )  60 ( 32 ) 7973   2012.08 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Wax, policosanol, and long-chain aldehydes of different sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) cultivars

Asikin, Yonathan; Takahashi, Makoto; Hirose, Naoto; Hou, De-Xing; Takara, Kensaku; Wada, Koji

European Journal of Lipid Science and Technology ( その他の出版社 )  114 ( 5 ) 583   2012.05 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

Volatile Aroma Components and Antioxidant Activities of the Flavedo Peel Extract of Unripe Shiikuwasha (Citrus depressa Hayata)

Asikin, Yonathan; Taira, Ikuko; Inafuku, Sayuri; Sumi, Hidekazu; Sawamura, Masayoshi; Takara, Kensaku; Wada, Koji

Journal of Food Science ( その他の出版社 )  77 ( 4 ) C469-C475   2012.04 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Down-regulation of lipids transpoter ABCA1 increases the cytotoxity of nitidine.

Iwasaki H, Okabe T, Takara K, Yoshida Y, Hanashiro K, Oku H

Cancer Chemother Pharmacol ( その他の出版社 )  66 ( 5 ) 953   2010.03 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Tumor-selective cytotoxicity of benzo[c]phenanthridine derivatives from Toddalia asiatica Lam.

Iwasaki H, Okabe T, Takara K, Toda T, Shimatani M, Oku H

Cancer chemotherapy and pharmacology   65 ( 4 ) 719 - 26   2010.03 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Liposomes encapsulating Aloe vera leaf gel extract significantly enhance proliferation and collagen synthesis in human skin cell lines

Makoto Takahashi, Dai Kitamoto, Yonathan Asikin, Kensaku Takara, Koji Wada

Journal of Oleo Science   58 ( 12 ) 643 - 650   2009.12 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Evaluation of an oral carrier system in rats: bioavailability and antioxidant properties of liposome-encapsulated curcumin

Makoto Takahashi, Shuntoku Uechi, Kensaku Takara, Yonathan Asikin, Koji Wada

Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry   57   9141 - 9146   2009.09 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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