Investigation of appetite-promoting effect by olfactory stimulation of odor components generated by heat treatment in foods

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K02137
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 08030:Family and consumer sciences, and culture and living-related
• Research Institution: Nihon University
• Principal Investigator: OHATA Motoko 日本大学, 生物資源科学部, 准教授 (60453510)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 加熱香気 / フラネオール / 嗅覚刺激 / 自発運動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Furaneol, emitting a sweet caramel odor generated by the Maillard reaction, has been known as an inducer of food intake in rats without altering their body weight.
It has been observed that olfactory stimulation of furaneol induces a significant increase of the spontaneous locomotor activity in mice, and the effect would be related to maintaining body weight. Moreover, I investigated some gene expression patterns in the brain and stomach of mice to clarify the mechanism by which olfactory stimulation of furaneol increases spontaneous locomotor activity in mice.

Free Research Field

食品科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

食品メイラード反応によって生成されるおいしい香りのうち、単一香気成分の嗅覚刺激が中枢および抹消の遺伝子発現に影響し、このことは自発運動量増加の神経生理学的な分子基盤である可能性が示唆された。本研究は、嗅覚刺激による運動増強効果やそれによる体重増加抑制効果の可能性もあり、生活科学分野を超えた波及効果は非常に大きいことが予測される。