日本寒冷地带北海道优良食味粳稻育种研究（网络首发、推荐阅读）

长久以来，北海道产大米的食味口碑一直不高，也未出现像“越光”一样全日本知名的优良食味品种，因此，自1980年开始历时28年，北海道立（现称道总研）农业试验场致力于粳稻优良食味品种快速研究项目的实施。为实现快速研发的目标，通过世代促进栽培法和花药培养法成功缩短了育种年限；采用扩大育种规模的方式，并利用优良食味、耐寒性等内外部有效基因培育兼具优良食味及早熟耐寒性的品种；初期世代开始主要通过分析大米的蛋白质含量、尤其是直链淀粉含量，中间世代则通过少量蒸饭的方式进行食味品鉴，选育出优良食味种系。在食味遗传基因的改良方面，先是集聚北海道优良食味的遗传基因培育出品种“雪光”，再经由北海道品种引进“越光”的优良食味遗传基因，之后以日本东北优良食味遗传基因品种“秋田小町”作为直接杂交母本，分别成功培育出品种“闪光397”和“星之梦”，其直链淀粉含量与以往多肥多产品种的22%相比降低了2%。在此基础之上，引进美国品种“国宝玫瑰”优良食味遗传基因的品种“七星”成功问世，其直链淀粉含量又降低了1%；以变异低直链淀粉种系“北海287号”为母本，成功培育出“梦美”，其直链淀粉含量15%~16%，粘度和软度俱佳，食味亦可与“越光”媲美。     

Molecular Mechanisms of Taste Recognition: Considerations about the Role of Saliva

The gustatory system plays a critical role in determining food preferences and food intake, in addition to nutritive, energy and electrolyte balance. Fine tuning of the gustatory system is also crucial in this respect. The exact mechanisms that fine tune taste sensitivity are as of yet poorly defined, but it is clear that various effects of saliva on taste recognition are also involved. Specifically those metabolic polypeptides present in the saliva that were classically considered to be gut and appetite hormones (i.e., leptin, ghrelin, insulin, neuropeptide Y, peptide YY) were considered to play a pivotal role. Besides these, data clearly indicate the major role of several other salivary proteins, such as salivary carbonic anhydrase (gustin), proline-rich proteins, cystatins, alpha-amylases, histatins, salivary albumin and mucins. Other proteins like glucagon-like peptide-1, salivary immunoglobulin-A, zinc-α-2-glycoprotein, salivary lactoperoxidase, salivary prolactin-inducible protein and salivary molecular chaperone HSP70/HSPAs were also expected to play an important role. Furthermore, factors including salivary flow rate, buffer capacity and ionic composition of saliva should also be considered. In this paper, the current state of research related to the above and the overall emerging field of taste-related salivary research alongside basic principles of taste perception is reviewed.     

Nonvolatile taste components,nutritional values,bioactive compounds and antioxidant activities of three wild Chanterelle mushrooms

The chemical compositions, nonvolatile taste components and nutritional compounds of three wild edible Chanterelle mushrooms (C. cibarius Fr (CcF), C. cinnabarinus schwein (CcS) and C. tubaeformis Fr (CtF)) were evaluated. Results showed Chanterelle mushrooms were good sources of proteins and carbohydrates with low energy. CcS was rich in trehalose in free sugars and glucose in soluble sugars. Monosodium glutamate‐like free amino acids and flavour 5′‐nucleotides indicated Chanterelle mushrooms had good taste. Based on their amino acids compositions and nutrition evaluations, CcF, CcS and CtF were significant sources of amino acids and protein. CtF showed better protein quality than CcF and CcS. Stearic and oleic acids showed high contents in three mushrooms, and higher unsaturated fatty acids were found in CcF. Three mushrooms had high contents of K, Ca and Mg, and low content of Na. Organic acid and phenolic acids of three mushrooms were identified, and antioxidant activities were evaluated.     

On the bright side: The influence of brightness on overall taste intensity perception

Ambient light luminance (i.e., brightness or dimness) is a frequently used tool by managers to enhance the overall ambience in their restaurants. The current research explores how a change in a restaurant’s ambient brightness influences the overall taste intensity perception of the food that is being served there. We conducted a between-group experiment in a field setting (i.e., a fine-dining restaurant), where we manipulated the illuminance level of the ambient light (dim vs. bright). Guests were served a dish—tailored to our research question—and asked to evaluate its overall taste intensity. The results demonstrate that guests exposed to the bright ambient light perceived the overall taste of the dish as more intense as opposed to guests exposed to the dim ambient light. The results thus show that modifying the ambient illuminance level in a restaurant does not only affect the overall ambience but also changes the overall taste experience of the food being served. This finding is not only theoretically relevant for research on multisensory integration, but it also provides tools for taste modulation, and—as such—for strategies to decrease salt and sugar consumption among diners.