1995 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Detection of trace amounts of active oxygens generating in the daily foods and protection of these harmful substances in our long life time
| Project/Area Number |
06680039
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
家政学
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| Research Institution | Koriyama Women's College |
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Principal Investigator |
YODA Binkoh Koriyama Women's College, Dept.of Food & Nutrition, Professor, 家政学部, 教授 (10124637)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1994 – 1995
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| Keywords | Active oxygen / Free radical / Food / Carcinogenesis / Aging / Amino acid |
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| Research Abstract |
This work aims to develop a fine detecting method of trace amounts of active oxygen species generating in our daily foods. For this purpose an extremely sensitive single photoelectron counting method was introduced to catch such photons coming out from singlet oxygen molecules and other excited molecular species in our foods. Though these active oxygens exist only in very low concentration levels in foods and other substances of our circumstances, but are generally thougt to play an important role in the aging process and the carcinogenesis of human being. Following results were obtained for these research years.
1. Present single photoelectron counting system was further refined for the detection of very weak light emissions those comes out from the transition of excited molecules in food substances.
2. Ultraweak light emissions of usual raw food materials were genarally in very low levels. After heat denaturation these food materials emitted photons in higher levels.
3. Amino acids also emitted light in higher levels after heat denaturation. Tryptophan and histidine were the most prominent light emitters among the heat denatured amin acids.
4. Oxygen was essential throughout these light emitting phenomena.
5. Spectral analyzes revealed the participation of singlet oxygen in these light emissions.
6. Scavenger experiment specific for active oxygens pointed out that active oxygens are also concerned in an essential part of these light emissions.
7. Newly developed specific enhancers of light emission showed that singlet oxygen and superoxide exist in these light emitting heat-denatured materials.
8. Extracts of fresh vegetable and fruit very effectively inhibited these light emissions from heated meats and denatured amino acids.
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