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Inhibition of fructose absorption may suppress adiposity and adiposity-related diseases caused by fructose ingestion. Eucalyptus leaf extract (ELE) inhibits intestinal fructose absorption (but not glucose absorption); however, its active compound has not yet been identified. Therefore, we evaluated the inhibitory activity of ELE obtained from Eucalyptus globulus using an intestinal fructose permeation assay with the human intestinal epithelial cell line Caco-2. The luminal sides of a cell monolayer model cultured on membrane filters were exposed to fructose with or without the ELE. Cellular fructose permeation was evaluated by measuring the fructose concentration in the medium on the basolateral side. ELE inhibited 65% of fructose absorption at a final concentration of 1 mg/mL. Oenothein B isolated from the ELE strongly inhibited fructose absorption; the inhibition rate was 63% at a final concentration of 5 μg/mL. Oenothein B did not affect glucose absorption. In contrast, the other major constituents (i.e., gallic acid and ellagic acid) showed little fructose-inhibitory activity. To our knowledge, this is the first report that oenothein B in ELE strongly inhibits fructose absorption in vitro. ELE containing oenothein B can prevent and ameliorate obesity and other diseases caused by dietary fructose consumption.

Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris (L. cremoris) FC is a lactic acid bacteria that produces exopolysaccharides (EPS). We studied the effects of EPS on the development of dermatitis in BALB/c mice induced by repeated exposure to 2,4,6-trinitro-1-chlorobenzene (TNCB) and on intestinal immunological activity in C3H/HeJ mice through Peyer’s patch cells. The EPS was shown to be composed of phosphopolysaccharides containing rhamnose, galactose, and glucose in a molar ratio of 1:1:3. Their weight average molecular weight (Mw) was 712,000. Oral administration of EPS suppressed skin thickening and infiltration of mast cells in skin lesions. EPS suppressed IL-4, IFN-γ, IL-6, and TNF-α overexpression caused by exposure to TNCB. Peyer’s patch cell medium cultured with EPS stimulated bone marrow cell proliferation. Together, these results suggest that EPS produced by L. cremoris FC may be an effective dietary component to prevent chronic skin inflammatory diseases.

Milled common Japonica rice was cooked using a newly developed superheated steam rice cooking machine and the volatile odor compounds of the steamed rice and of the steam generated during cooking were analyzed. At least 22 odorous compounds were found in the steam by GC-olfactometry, of which 13 were identified by GC-MS. Hexanal and (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, which are known odor compounds characteristic of cooked rice, were identified, and four compounds, including longifolene and 2-methoxyphenol, were newly identified in Japonica rice. The amounts of hexanal and (E,E)-2,4-decadienal in steamed rice, extracted with methyl tert-butyl ether, were essentially the same as in ordinary cooked rice. On the other hand, headspace analysis showed that the levels of odor compounds in steamed rice were less than 10% that of ordinary cooked rice. Only small amounts of odorants appear to be released from the surfaces of steamed rice grains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]