Effect of dried-bonito broth intake on peripheral blood flow, mood, and oxidative stress marker in humans.

Yoshizu Nozawa, Taichi Ishizaki, Motonaka Kuroda, Takanori Noguchi
Dried-bonito broth (DBB) has been confirmed to improve various symptoms related to fatigue, but the reasons for this have remained unclear. Hypothesizing that DBB improves peripheral circulation together with mood states, we performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study in thirty-one healthy females. The subjects ingested DBB or a placebo for two weeks and changes in mood states after ingestion were investigated using the profile of mood states (POMS) questionnaire. The peripheral blood flow was also measured before and after ingestion of the test diet using a laser Doppler blood flow meter. The six mood factors and total mood disturbance score which reflect the mental states significantly improved, and a significant increase in peripheral blood flow was also found during DBB ingestion. As a result of correlation analysis between changes in each POMS score and changes in blood flow, it was suggested that a change in blood flow correlated with a change in some POMS factors and total mood disturbance. Based on these findings, we considered that blood flow may have increased in subjects whose mood states were markedly improved, suggesting that the improvement in mood states, including fatigue, was related to the increase in blood flow due to the improvement of peripheral circulation. To clarify whether DBB ingestion exhibits antioxidative activity, we investigated the urinary amounts of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) known as an oxidative stress marker and found that urinary excretion of the 8-OHdG for 24 h was significantly decreased during DBB ingestion. This study clarified that DBB ingestion improved mood states, increased peripheral blood flow, and decreased the oxidative stress marker.

Physiol Behav. 2007 Sep 5; : 17945318 (P,S,E,B,D)

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The Crystal Structure of Bonito (Katsuo) Ferrocytochrome c at 4 Å Resolution

Tamaichi ASHIDA, Tatzuo UEKI*, Tomitake TSUKIHARA**, Akio SUGIHARA***, Tsunehiro TAKANO and Masao KAKUDO
Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University Osaka

The crystal structure of bonito ferrocytochrome c has been studied at 4 Å resolution on the basis of two isomorphous heavy atom derivatives (K3UO2F5 and K2PtCl4). The crystal of bonito ferrocytochrome c belongs to an orthorhombic system with a space group of P212121. The unit cell dimensions are: a=57.54, b=84.71 and c= 37.74 Å. The crystal contains two kinds of molecules which are nearly equivalent to each other via the pseudo-twofold axis along the a axis.

The main structural features of bonito ferrocytochrome c molecule, such as the size and shape, the pathway of the polypeptide chain, and the orientation and the environment of the heme group, appear to be similar to those of horse ferricytochrome c, although it is suggested that the side-chain conformation at the surface of ferrocytochrome c is different from that of ferricytochrome c. The molecule is a prolate spheroid of a dimension of about 30x30x35 Å. Its heme group sits in the center of the molecule, with one corner exposed to the surroundings. In the crystal, the molecules are in close contacts with one another; usually, the residues present in the contact regions have long polar side chains.

In the crystal, the PtCl42 ion is located closely at Met 65 as in the case of horse ferricytochrome c. The reagent, K2HgI4, deteriorates the crystal structure, and it cannot be used for the structure analysis. On a difference Fourier map, however, the Hg group is located closely at Cys 17, which links the heme group to the polypeptide chain.

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Recipe: Okonomiyaki

Now here's something you don't often see: a simple Japanese staple that you can make right at home, as you like and with what you like.
Written by Prince or Prodigy
Well, here is something interesting. Really now, does the prospect of food really not spice up your taste buds when you hear the delicious words "pancake" and "pizza" mentioned in one breath? If it does, that is exactly what Japan's famous Okonomiyaki's all about — a mixture of pancake and pizza served in one go with your favorite sides of meat and vegetables.
The word Okonomi in Okonomiyaki, means "as you like." If you put two and two together, you must be smart enough to understand that Okonomiyaki must mean a pancake and pizza mixture with toppings as you like... no? If you didn't, thats alright; your "smarts" must have just taken a day off. In truth, there is no real recipe in making Okonomiyaki which makes this dish so intriguing. It's not so easy to start off with, but once the pancake and pizza mixture is done, the rest is all up to you. All you have to do is add in your favorite sides (such as beef, chicken, pork, seaweed, octupus, mushroom, tuna, and even candy, corn nuts, chocolate, sug — uhh whoops). In reality though, if you feel like you have the urge to put candy in your supposedly unsweet dish, by all means go ahead. (This is only proof of how far you really can go with making your own Okonomiyaki.)
Below are the directions in making the pancake/pizza mixture:
Main Stuff
1. 300 grams of flour
2. 210 mL of dashi soup or water
3. Two eggs
Suggested Extra Ingredients
1. Squid
2. Shrimp
3. Dried bonito flakes
4. Pork, meats, etc.
5. Cabbage head
The Recipe
1. Mix the dashi soup or water, the eggs, and all the flour together
2. At this stage, you can add in additional ingredients to your liking, such as meat, etc. Shred cabbage heads into strips on top of the okonomiyaki for example.
3. Lightly oil the pan and fry the okonomiyaki and flatten it
4. Just before air bubbles start forming, while the the okonomiyaki is hot and not yet overturned, more special ingredients can be topped off
5. Turn the okonomiyaki, put on mayonnaise, okonomiyaki sauce, or any other sauce
6. You can add some katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) and ao-nori (dried seaweed powder) on top too
7. You're done! Most importantly, enjoy!

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Effect of dried-bonito broth on mood states: a pooled analysis of four randomized controlled human trials.

Motonaka Kuroda, Yoshizu Nozawa
Research Institute for Health Fundamentals, Ajinomoto Co, Inc, motonaka_kuroda@ajinomoto.com
Dried-bonito broth is commonly employed as a soup and sauce base in Japanese cuisine and is considered to be a nutritional supplement that promotes recovery from fatigue. Previous human trials have indicated that the ingestion of dried-bonito broth improves several mood states including fatigue, however, the effects in these studies have differed. The aim of this study was to clarify the effects of daily ingestion of dried-bonito broth on mood states by a pooled analysis of the randomized placebo-controlled trials. Five comparisons in four trials were selected for the pooled analysis (n = 159). The ingestion of dried-bonito broth significantly decreased the scores for fatigue (P = 0.032) and increased those for vigor (P = 0.027) compared to the placebo ingestion, suggesting that the dried-bonito broth improved fatigue felt in daily life. Furthermore, the ingestion of dried-bonito broth decreased the scores for tension-anxiety (P = 0.004) and confusion (P = 0.008) compared to the placebo ingestion. The ingestion of dried-bonito broth also significantly decreased the scores for total mood disturbance (P = 0.005). These results suggest that the ingestion of dried-bonito broth improves mood states especially fatigue, vigor, tension-anxiety and confusion

Biomed Res. 2008 Aug ;29 (4):175-9 18724004 (P,S,E,B)

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Dried fish stock may be salt enhancer for food

By Stephen Daniells
11-Aug-2008 -

A dried stock made from the bonito fish – a stock used extensively in Japanese cuisine – may improve the palatability of reduced-salt products, suggests new research.

Promising results published in the Journal of Food Science indicate that the salt content of certain food products could be reduced by 15 percent without affecting palatability.

“The results of these sensory evaluations indicated that the characteristic flavor of dried bonito stock induced saltiness enhancement,” wrote M. Manabe from Doshisha Women’s College of Liberal Arts in Kyoto.

“In everyday Japanese food, the flavor of dried bonito stock could enhance saltiness and prevent the loss of palatability that would otherwise result from reducing the salt content.

“This finding is expected to be useful for improvement of the palatability of salt-reduced food,” added Manabe.

A body of evidence has linked excess salt (sodium chloride) in the diet to an increased risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Campaigns are underway around the world to encourage consumers to reduce their daily intake. The UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA), for example, advises that adults should consume no more than six grams of salt a day.

While an important part of reformulating foods to contain less salt lies with enhancing the taste of the salt that is there, ingredients companies are collaborating with their customers to do their part in reducing sodium in the individual components that go in to a finished product.

Study details

The Japanese researcher performed two sensory evaluations. In the first, which used a model system, the saltiness of a salt solution containing 0.8 percent sodium chloride was achieved with only 0.68 percent sodium chloride when used in combination with the dried bonito stock (six percent).

On the other hand, no enhancement of saltiness was observed when 0.12 percent monosodium glutamate (MSG) was used.

In the second evaluation, the dried stock was tested in two Japanese foods – a traditional soup and a steamed egg custard.

While no salt-enhancement was observed in the soup, wrote Manabe, a reduction of the salt content by 15 per cent did not affect the perceived palatability.

When formulated into the custard, however, saltiness and palatability were enhanced by the fish stock.

“These results suggested that the dried bonito egg custard was considered palatable even if the NaCl concentration was decreased to 0.75 percent,” wrote Manabe.

Chemistry behind bonito

According to Manabe: “The characteristic flavor of dried bonito stock is very popular with the Japanese. Inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP), another typical umami substance, is known to be a major contributor to the flavor that has ensured the popularity of dried bonito as a stock.

“In addition to IMP, the stock contains various taste active components, including glutamic acid, histidine, lactic acid, and others. Moreover, the aroma of dried bonito stock is also an important factor in its desirability.”

Source: Journal of Food Science
August 2008, Volume 73, Issue 6, Pages S321-S325, doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2008.00844.x
“Saltiness Enhancement by the Characteristic Flavor of Dried Bonito Stock”
Author: M. Manabe

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