Chlorophyllase-catalyzed phytol production during preparation of smoothie and phytol-specific health function

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K05444
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 38050:Food sciences-related
• Research Institution: Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University
• Principal Investigator: Asako Narai-Kanayama 日本獣医生命科学大学, 応用生命科学部, 准教授 (00339475)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 松田 寛子 日本獣医生命科学大学, 応用生命科学部, 講師 (80709733)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: phytol / phytanic acid / chlorophyllase / pheophytinase / smoothie

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study verified the action of chlorophyll- or pheophytin-dephytylating enzymes from fruits and vegetables during the smoothie preparation. Crude enzymes extracted from the fruits and vegetables, in which a certain amount of phytol was detected, showed chlorophyll-dephytylating activities. The enzymes working under mild acidic conditions were found to exist in some fruits. When such fruits and leafy vegetables were mixed with a blender and the resulting juice was incubated, phytol slightly increased and its content did not reach the level reported to show biological activities in animal studies. In addition, effects of single oral administration of phytol or phytanic acid on exercise-induced glycogen supercompensation in mouse skeletal muscle were investigated. Phytol and phytanic acid showed different results, that is, the former caused glycogen supercompensation, but the latter did not.

Free Research Field

食品科学、食品生化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

クロロフィルの脱フィチル化反応で生成するフィトールについて、有用ならびに有害な生理活性が報告されているにも関わらず、これまで当該反応を触媒する酵素が食品加工工程で働く反応に注目した研究がなかった。本研究は、植物生理学の既往研究で報告されている酵素と異なる性質をもつクロロフィル脱フィチル酵素の存在を一部の青果物に見出した。さらに、当該青果物と葉物野菜で単純混合スムージーを調製しても、生理活性を発揮しうる量のフィトールは生成しないことを明らかにし、学術的・社会的にも新しい知見を提供するに至った。