Exploratory Research for understanding relationship between flavor component and biological activities

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K19095
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 38:Agricultural chemistry and related fields
• Research Institution: Kindai University
• Principal Investigator: ZAIMA Nobuhiro 近畿大学, 農学部, 教授 (40455572)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 井上 菜穂子 日本大学, 生物資源科学部, 准教授 (00509515)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-07-09 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 香気成分

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We live surrounded by countless scent components, and spend each day perceiving various scents. The starting question for this research was what happens to aroma components after they are perceived as a scent. What happens to the aroma components that are perceived as scent and reach the lungs? In order to resolve this question, this study conducted a pharmacokinetic analysis using models of several aroma components used as food flavorings. As a result, they discovered that multiple aroma components migrate into the body and accumulate in organs. Furthermore, we have found that some aroma components can affect life activities through their transfer into the body.

Free Research Field

血管生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

食品に含まれる香気成分が生命活動に影響を及ぼすことは古くから知られているが、本研究では、体内に移行した食品香気成分が直接に生命活動に影響しうることを示した。一部の香気成分に関しては、ヒトにも影響しうることを実証した。本研究は、香りと生命活動の間に未解明の関係が存在することを示すものであり、基礎的な知見の集積が必要であることを示す。