JP2013252125A - Method for producing liquefied koji with enhanced antioxidative activity - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve a problem in which antioxidative activity of koji, a functional ingredient of a fermented food, is enhanced and the koji itself is used as material of a functional food, and the like.SOLUTION: There are provided a method for producing liquefied koji with enhanced antioxidative activity including heat-treating koji under a specific heating condition; liquefied koji obtained by the method; and an antioxidative agent for the liquefied koji; or use as medical treatment and/or prevention agent for dementia.

Description

  The present invention relates to a liquefied koji with enhanced antioxidant activity and a method for producing the same, an antioxidant containing the liquefied koji, and various compositions such as functional foods. The present invention also relates to a therapeutic and / or prophylactic agent for dementia comprising sputum or liquefied sputum as an active ingredient.

  In recent years, fermented foods such as traditional Japanese sake, shochu, miso, and soy sauce have been revealed to have many functions including antioxidant activity. It has been reported that many of the functional components are produced by an enzyme reaction derived from “mochi” and subsequent Maillard reaction that occurs during heating and storage (Non-patent Documents 1 and 2).

  In addition, koji contributes to the safety of fermentation by producing enzymes such as saccharifying enzymes, and greatly contributes to imparting flavor. Therefore, the making of koji (making of koji) is performed by a method suitable for the final product of each fermented food. For example, in sake, the temperature of koji is gradually increased to about 40 ° C to promote the production of enzymes suitable for sake brewing, while in the case of full-fledged shochu, the koji grows at about 37 ° C. Differences are seen such as lowering the temperature to 35 ° C and promoting the production of citric acid. Thus, in the koji making stage, the main focus is on the production of enzymes for saccharification and liquefaction of raw materials, and the production of citric acid that protects moromi from spoilage. Is not intended. In addition, the koji-making period is usually about 2 days because excessive growth of koji fungi causes a decrease in productivity and an adverse effect on flavor.

  The koji obtained from koji making is then used differently depending on the type of fermented food, but in general, it is mixed with water and yeast and fermented into moromi, and the main ingredients (steamed rice, wheat, sweet potato) Etc.) is fermented and matured. Therefore, the process of improving the functionality of koji following koji making is not performed in the production of ordinary fermented foods.

  There has been an example in which heating has been performed in the process of manufacturing functional foods and beverages and pharmaceuticals. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a brain protective agent mainly composed of a fermented soybean cake fermented with purple rice bran added with rice bran and fermented at 50 to 70 ° C. for 18 to 28 hours. The rice bran only contributes to the enhancement of sweetness. Further, Patent Document 2 discloses a cancer cell dormant comprising an active ingredient obtained by adding rice cake to a pulverized rice and leaving it at 55 ° C. for 16 hours and then heating the filtrate obtained by solid-liquid separation at 85 ° C. for 30 minutes. However, koji is used for saccharification, and the latter high-temperature heating is intended for sterilization. Therefore, in all of these examples, the heat treatment is performed after mixing the koji after koji making with other starch materials, and the koji made from koji is not subjected to the heat treatment as it is. On the other hand, Patent Document 3 discloses a method for producing a composition containing black rice-derived anthocyanins, and includes a step of producing a saccharified solution by adding water to the koji after koji making in the production process. Saccharification temperature and time are preferably 50 to 60 ° C. and 10 to 20 hours, followed by high temperature heating at 80 to 100 ° C. for enzyme deactivation and sterilization, but the time is about 10 minutes. Only.

  Therefore, it is known that fermented foods using koji have many functionalities such as antioxidant activity, but there are few studies on koji itself as a functional food material. There is no report on the relationship between the anti-oxidant effect of sorghum and sputum.

  On the other hand, it is said that the incidence of dementia increases as the age increases, and as the aging society progresses in the future, dealing with dementia has become a major issue. As an approach to dementia, it is important to first detect it early, to delay the progression of symptoms by appropriate diagnosis and treatment, and to try to prevent the onset of dementia. Dementia is caused by various causes such as aging and brain diseases, and the brain cells die and brain functions such as learning / memory ability and judgment decline. The state that causes Alzheimer type accounts for the majority of dementia, followed by Lewy body type and cerebrovascular type. Alzheimer-type dementia has the symptom of forgetting new things because the “hippocampus” where new memories are temporarily stored is damaged. In addition, oxidative stress caused by active oxygen and lipid peroxide generated in mitochondria in brain neurons increases with age, accelerating nerve cell damage and aging. Oxidative stress is known to cause Alzheimer-type dementia. If an excellent antioxidant capable of reducing brain oxidative stress can be found, it is expected that cognitive decline can be suppressed and dementia can be improved. To date, typical treatments for Alzheimer-type dementia include acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (such as donepecil hydrochloride), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and β-secretase inhibitors. In addition, naturally-occurring ingredients such as vegetables and fruits that are reported to have an effect of preventing Alzheimer-type dementia and delaying progression by daily consumption include curcumin contained in turmeric, resveratrol contained in rice bran, and rice bran There are ferulic acid, ginkgo biloba extract, etc., but cocoon is not known.

JP2009-292747 JP 2006-117575 A JP 2010-154768 A

Ikeda, R. et al. Changes of Isoflavones at various stages of fermentation in defatted soybeans.Journal of the Japanese Society for Food Science and Technolody (NipponShokuhin Kagaku Kaishi), 42, 322-327 (1995) Hayase, F. et al., Maillard reaction products: safety and physiologic effects. Commun. Agric. Food Chem. 3, 111-128 (1994)

  An object of the present invention is to increase the antioxidant activity of koji, which is a functional component of fermented food, to use koji itself as a material for functional food, and to find a new function of koji.

  As a result of intensive studies to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present inventors have conducted a simple method of heat-treating soot under specific conditions, so that superoxide anion radical scavenging ability (SOSA) and oxygen radical absorption in soot It was confirmed that the activity (ORAC) increased dramatically and the content of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), which is an antioxidant, increased, and the antioxidant activity was enhanced.

For the purpose of discovering and evaluating the new functionality of sputum, the present inventors also ingested rice bran or liquefied sputum into an aging-promoted mouse, which increased the learning / memory ability of the mouse, and increased amyloid in the brain. It was confirmed that β accumulation decreased, and it was found that wrinkles have a dementia improving effect.
The present invention has been completed based on such knowledge.

That is, the present invention includes the following inventions.
(1) A method for producing a liquefied koji with enhanced antioxidant activity, comprising a step of heat-treating koji at a temperature of 50 ° C. to 60 ° C. for 6 to 8 days.
(2) Liquefaction with enhanced antioxidative activity, including a step of heat-treating koji at a temperature of 50 ° C. to 60 ° C. for 1 to 3 days, followed by a heat treatment of 70 to 80 ° C. for 4 to 6 days A method for producing firewood.
(3) The production method according to (2), wherein the heat treatment at 50 ° C. to 60 ° C. is performed for 2 days, and the heat treatment at 70 ° C. to 80 ° C. is performed for 5 days.
(4) The production method according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein the soot is an equivalent mixture of dry soot and water.
(5) The production method according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the wrinkle is selected from the group consisting of white glaze, jaundice, and black glaze.
(6) A liquefied koji with enhanced antioxidant activity obtained by the production method according to any one of (1) to (5).

(7) An antioxidant comprising the liquefied soot according to (6).
(8) A food or drink comprising the antioxidant according to (7).
(9) The food or drink according to (8), wherein the food or drink is a health food, a functional food, a nutritional supplement, or a food for specified health use.
(10) A pharmaceutical, quasi-drug or cosmetic comprising the antioxidant according to (7).
(11) A therapeutic and / or prophylactic agent for dementia containing sputum or liquefied sputum as an active ingredient.
(12) The therapeutic and / or preventive agent for dementia according to (11), wherein the liquefied sputum is a liquefied sputum obtained by the production method according to any one of (1) to (5).
(13) The therapeutic and / or preventive agent for dementia according to (11) or (12), wherein the dementia is dementia caused by oxidative stress.

  According to the method of the present invention, it is possible to dramatically improve the antioxidant activity of koji only by a simple operation of heat treatment. The liquefied koji with enhanced antioxidant activity obtained by the present invention is useful as a functional material for functional foods and pharmaceuticals as an antioxidant. In addition, the liquefied sputum is effective in improving and / or preventing dementia because it can enhance learning and memory ability and reduce amyloid β accumulation in the brain.

2 shows changes with time in viscosity and absorbance (400 nm) of cocoons heat-treated at 55 ° C. (bar graph: absorbance, line graph: viscosity). The time-dependent change (FIG. 2A) and the time-dependent change (FIG. 2B) of the glucose content of the cocoon heat-processed at 55 degreeC and the cocoon heat-processed at 75 degreeC are shown. Error bars indicate the standard deviation of three tests, and the numbers indicate the average standard deviation value (n = 3). Temporal changes in total phenolic content (TPC) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content of cocoons heat-treated by the two-step method (55 ° C., 75 ° C.) (FIG. 3A), and superoxide radical scavenging ability (SOSA) and The time-dependent change (FIG. 3B) of oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) is shown. Error bars indicate the standard deviation of 3 tests. 2 shows the schedule of mouse feeding and Morris water maze experiments. A cross-sectional view (FIG. 5A) and a plan view (FIG. 5B) of the Morris water maze experimental pool are shown. Changes in time to reach the platform in the Morris water maze experiment of mice in each test group (SAMR1 / CE-2 group, SAMP8 / CE-2 group, SAMP8 / CE-2 + 麹 group, SAMP8 / CE-2 + liquefaction kite group) (Significant difference (p <0.5) between different characters). Time spent around the platform in the Morris water maze experiment for mice in each test group (SAMR1 / CE-2 group, SAMP8 / CE-2 group, SAMP8 / CE-2 + 麹 group, SAMP8 / CE-2 + liquefaction group) Show. The amyloid staining of the brain / hippocampal tissue section | slice of the mouse | mouth of each test group (SAMR1 / CE-2 group, SAMP8 / CE-2 group, SAMP8 / CE-2 + 麹 group, SAMP8 / CE-2 + liquefaction 麹 group) is shown.

The present invention will be described in detail below.
In the method for producing a liquefied soot with enhanced antioxidant activity according to the present invention, heat treatment of the soot is performed under a constant temperature condition.

  The first method is a method in which the soot is heated in one step (one-step method). In this method, the soot is heated at 50 to 60 ° C. for 6 to 8 days.

  The second method is a method in which the soot is heated in two stages (two-stage method). In this method, the soot is heated at a temperature of 50 ° C. to 60 ° C. for 1 to 3 days, followed by 70 ° C. to 80 ° C. For 4 to 6 days.

  Either a one-step method or a two-step method can provide a soot having an antioxidant effect superior to that of unheated soot, but a two-step method is preferred in terms of obtaining a soot with an enhanced antioxidant effect.

  The temperature and time of the heat treatment can be appropriately changed within the above range. The heating temperature in the previous stage of the one-step method and the two-step method may be 50 ° C to 60 ° C, preferably 54 to 56 ° C, and more preferably 55 ° C. Moreover, the heating temperature of the latter stage of a two-stage method should just be 70 to 80 degreeC, 74 to 76 degreeC is preferable and 75 degreeC is more preferable.

  The most preferred heating condition of the method of the present invention is to carry out at 55 ° C. for 2 days, followed by 75 ° C. for 5 days.

  The heat treatment may be performed using a cereal liquefaction apparatus conventionally used in the art having a temperature control function, such as a heat-insulated airtight container.

  The raw material of koji used in the present invention may be any of rice, wheat, koji, beans, etc., but rice is preferred from the viewpoint of enzyme productivity and ease of koji making.

  The types of koji include yellow koji, black koji, and white koji depending on the type of koji mold added to the raw material during koji making. Any of these may be used, but the production of citric acid and HMF productivity From the point, white birch is desirable.

The preparation of the koji (making of koji) may be performed by a normal method depending on the raw material. For example, in the case of rice bran,
Steamed rice is soaked and boiled, cooled, and then inoculated with Aspergillus spores (seeds) such as Aspergillus kawachii, Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus awamori, and maintained at about 37 ° C. After the middle work, the temperature is maintained at about 35 ° C. after completion of the work, and citric acid is produced.

  The koji obtained by the above koji making can be subjected to a heat treatment as it is, but when stored for a long time, it is made into a dried koji by freeze drying or the like. When using a dry cake, the heat treatment is performed on a mixture obtained by adding water, preferably about 55 ° C. hot water, to the dried cake. The mixing ratio of the dried soot and water is preferably equal. If there is too much water for the dried soot, the components may be diluted and the desired antioxidant activity may not be obtained, and a concentration step may be required later. Moreover, if water is excessive, there is a risk of rot due to microbial contamination. On the other hand, if the amount of water is too small relative to the dried soot, liquefaction is difficult to proceed and the generation of functional components is reduced.

  The liquefied soot obtained by the above heat treatment of soot has a significantly increased superoxide radical scavenging ability (SOSA) and oxygen radical absorption ability (ORAC) compared to untreated soot, and has an excellent antioxidant action. Therefore, the above liquefied soot can be used as an antioxidant.

  The antioxidant of the present invention can be used as it is, but various other components such as foods and drinks, pharmaceuticals, quasi-drugs, cosmetics, etc. are appropriately blended within a range not impairing the effects of the present invention. It is preferable to provide as.

  In the present invention, the food / beverage product refers to a food / beverage product to be ingested by humans, and is used to include a health food, a functional food, a nutritional supplement, or a food for specified health use.

  The form of the food or drink may be any form suitable for edible use, for example, solid, liquid, granular, granular, powder, capsule, cream, or paste.

  Specific types of foods and drinks include breads such as bread and confectionery bread; noodles such as buckwheat, udon and Chinese noodles; confectionery; dairy products such as processed milk, fermented milk, yogurt, butter and cheese; kamaboko Processed fishery and livestock products such as chikuwa, ham and sausage; fats and oils processed foods such as margarine, mayonnaise, shortening, whipped cream and dressing; seasonings such as soy sauce, sauce, grilled meat sauce, vinegar, mirin; soft drinks , Beverages such as carbonated beverages, nutritional beverages, fruit beverages and milk beverages (including concentrated concentrates of these beverages and powders for adjustment), but are not limited thereto.

In addition, it goes without saying that the food and drink of the present invention includes fermented foods that originally use koji.
In the case of producing sake using the liquefied koji obtained by the production method of the present invention, in the step of preparing the sake mother or moromi, in the case of producing shochu, in the step of preparing the moromi, in the case of producing soy sauce, In the case of producing miso at this stage, it can be used in place of ordinary koji at the stage of preparation.

  The food / beverage products of the present invention may be appropriately blended with additives usually used depending on the type. Any additive that is acceptable for food hygiene can be used as the additive. For example, sweeteners such as sugar, fructose, isomerized liquid sugar, glucose, aspartame, stevia; citric acid, malic acid, tartaric acid Acidulants such as dextrin, starch, etc .; binders, diluents, fragrances, colorants, buffers, thickeners, gelling agents, stabilizers, preservatives, emulsifiers, dispersants, suspensions Agents, preservatives and the like.

  The blending amount of the liquefied koji in the food and drink of the present invention may be an amount that can exhibit its antioxidant action, but the general intake of the target food and drink, the form of the food and drink, the efficacy and effect, the taste, What is necessary is just to set suitably in consideration of palatability and cost.

  In addition, since the food and drink of the present invention has a remarkable antioxidant action, that is, an active oxygen scavenging action, it is effective for preventing or improving various diseases and disorders caused by active oxygen present in the living body. is there. Various diseases and disorders caused by active oxygen include, for example, cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis and myocardial infarction, digestion such as gastric / duodenal ulcer / gastric mucosal disorder, ulcerative colitis, irritable colitis, etc. Organ system diseases, liver damage due to drugs and harmful substances, ischemic reperfusion injury, diabetic complications, ophthalmic diseases such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, skin degeneration such as spots and wrinkles, inflammation such as periodontal disease Disease, cancer, aging, etc. are mentioned.

  In addition, when the antioxidant of the present invention is provided as a pharmaceutical, an appropriate additive (for example, carrier, excipient, diluent, binder, lubricant) that is pharmaceutically acceptable and appropriately selected depending on the dosage form. Agents, disintegrants or disintegration aids, solubilizers, stabilizers, preservatives, preservatives, extenders, dispersants, etc.) in various known ways, orally or parenterally systemically or locally. What is necessary is just to prepare in the various formulation form which can be administered.

  The pharmaceutical of the present invention can be administered orally or parenterally, but is preferably administered orally. When the pharmaceutical product of the present invention is orally administered, it is formulated or used in tablets (including dragees), capsules, granules, powders, pills, liquids for internal use, suspensions, emulsions, syrups, etc. You may make it the dried product re-dissolved in the case. In addition, when the pharmaceutical product of the present invention is administered parenterally, it is formulated into an injection (eg, subcutaneous injection, intravenous injection, intramuscular injection, intraperitoneal injection), infusion, suppository, etc. In the case of pharmaceutical preparations, they are provided in the form of unit dosage ampoules or multi-dose containers. In formulating, one or more active ingredients other than the active ingredients of the present invention may be further blended.

  The pharmaceutical product of the present invention is a pharmaceutical product for preventing and / or treating various diseases and disorders caused by the above-mentioned active oxygen because the liquefied koji, which is an active ingredient, is derived from a natural product and thus has high safety and no side effects. Can be used as The pharmaceutical of the present invention is safely administered orally or parenterally to mammals such as humans, mice, rats, rabbits, dogs, cats and the like when used as preventive and / or therapeutic drugs for the above-mentioned respective diseases. be able to.

  The dosage of the pharmaceutical agent of the present invention can be appropriately determined according to the type of disease, the age, sex, body weight, symptom level, or administration method of the subject. In general, an amount of 10 mg to 10 g, preferably 50 mg to 5 g, more preferably 100 mg to 1 g as liquefied sputum is administered once a day or several times per day for an adult.

  Moreover, the antioxidant of this invention can be mix | blended with not only a pharmaceutical but a quasi-drug and cosmetics. As a quasi-drug or cosmetic, a composition for external application to the skin is preferable, and any dosage form such as an aqueous solution system, a solubilization system, an emulsification system, a powder system, an oil-liquid system, a gel system, an ointment system, and an aerosol system may be used. Examples of the composition for external use of skin include, for example, lotion, milky lotion, gel, cosmetic liquid, general cream, sunscreen cream, pack, mask, facial cleanser, cosmetic soap, foundation, funny, bath preparation, body lotion, body shampoo. However, it is not limited to these.

  The above quasi-drugs and cosmetics are produced by selecting various ingredients, additives, bases and the like that are usually used in the composition for external use according to the type, blending them appropriately, and producing them according to methods known in the art. be able to. The form may be liquid, emulsion, cream, gel, paste, spray or the like.

  The amount of liquefied koji in the quasi-drug or cosmetic of the present invention may be any amount that can exert the desired antioxidant effect, but the general usage amount of the target product, the form of the product, the efficacy and effects, and What is necessary is just to set suitably in consideration of cost.

  Furthermore, sputum or liquefied sputum obtained by the above heat treatment also has an effect of improving learning / memory ability and a function of reducing the amount of amyloid β accumulated in the brain. Therefore, sputum or liquefied sputum can be used as an agent for treating and / or preventing dementia.

  As used herein, “dementia” refers to a disease accompanied by core symptoms such as memory impairment, disorientation, behavioral disorder, understanding / judgment disorder, and executive dysfunction that appear when brain cells are damaged. Dementia is broadly divided into “Alzheimer's dementia” and “cerebral vascular dementia”, and “dementia” in the present invention includes any of these, and any disease or disorder that causes it is not considered. . For example, Alzheimer's disease, (diffuse) Lewy body disease, Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal dementia (semantic dementia, progressive non-fluent aphasia, progressive supranuclear paralysis, etc.), degeneration such as Huntington's disease Vascular dementia: multiple ischemic dementia, extensive ischemia, multiple cerebral infarction, localized cerebral infarction, hereditary vascular dementia (CADASIL, etc.); Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, HIV-related cognition Diseases include, but are not limited to, chronic subdural hematoma, normal pressure hydrocephalus, dementia due to hypothyroidism, and the like. The agent for treating and / or preventing dementia of the present invention is particularly effective in improving Alzheimer's disease caused by oxidative stress that increases with aging and dementia associated with aging.

  In this specification, the treatment of dementia refers to curing dementia, suppressing the alleviation and progression of each symptom associated with dementia, and prevention of dementia refers to suppressing the onset of dementia. And delaying onset.

  The therapeutic and / or prophylactic agent for dementia of the present invention can be used as it is, as in the case of the antioxidant. However, other ingredients are appropriately blended within a range not impairing the effects of the present invention, It can be used in the form of food and drink.

  When the therapeutic and / or prophylactic agent for dementia of the present invention is used as a pharmaceutical, it is formulated by combining additives such as a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier as necessary. The administration route, dosage form, type of additive, and dosage of the pharmaceutical agent are the same as in the case of the antioxidant.

  Moreover, also when setting it as food-drinks, it combines and prepares with the other material accept | permitted as food as needed. The form and kind of food / beverage products, the kind of additive, and the compounding quantity to food / beverage products are the same as that of the said antioxidant. The food / beverage product of the present invention has its main body, packaging, instructions, promotional material with indications of efficacy, for example, an indication that it has an antioxidant effect, an indication of improvement and prevention of dementia, etc. May be.

EXAMPLES Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples, but these examples do not limit the present invention.
(Example 1) Preparation of liquefied soot (one-step method)
(1) Koji making After washing 1.5 kg of polished rice, it was immersed in water for 1 hour, and drained and steamed for 50 minutes. Thereafter, the mixture was cooled to 40 ° C., 1.5 g of white birch seed koji was sown in steamed rice, mixed well, and kneaded in a thermostat at 90% humidity and 35 ° C. for 40 hours. During this period, stirring and cooling were repeated and controlled so that the temperature of the soot did not exceed 40 ° C. The finished koji was lyophilized, crushed and stored.

(2) Heat treatment Add 2 ml of water to 2 g of this dry powder cake, put in a tube with a screw cap, seal tightly so that moisture does not evaporate, and keep it in a constant temperature water bath at 45 ° C, 55 ° C, 65 ° C, or 75 ° C for 7 days. The liquefied soot (one-step method) was obtained.
4 g of the above-mentioned liquefied soot obtained by heat treatment or 2 g of dry powder soot not heated (unheated soot) is added to 3 ml of deionized water and homogenized, and then the homogenate is centrifuged (4800 × g, 5 5 ml of deionized water was added to the resulting precipitate, and the resuspended product was further centrifuged (4800 × g, 5 minutes), and the supernatant was combined into a sample for analysis.

(3) Confirmation of degree of browning and liquefaction The degree of browning and liquefaction was examined on the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th days from the start of the heat treatment for the 55 ° C heat-treated rice cake. The degree of browning was evaluated by absorbance at 400 nm, and the absorbance was measured using a UV / VIS Spectrophotometer (Shimadzu UV-1700, Kyoto, Japan) after appropriately diluting the sample with deionized water. The degree of liquefaction was evaluated by viscosity. Viscosity was measured with Rapid Visco Analyzer (Newpoint Scientific Pty., Ltd., NSW, Australia) and indicated in Rapid Visco Unit (RVU). The results are shown in FIG. The increase in absorbance at 400 nm began on the third day and increased rapidly on the fifth and seventh days. This result suggested that the Maillard reaction proceeded during heating. In addition, the viscosity of the soot that was initially in a solid state rapidly decreased after the third day. This result suggested that the liquefaction by the enzyme reaction proceeded by heating.

(4) Confirmation of antioxidant activity Superoxide radical scavenging ability (SOSA) and oxygen radical absorption ability (ORAC) were measured for 55 ° C. liquefied soot and 75 ° C. liquefied soot 7 days after the start of heat treatment. SOSA is CLETA-S antioxidant activity assay kit ( ATTO CO, Tokyo Japan), ORAC is, OxiSelect ^TM ORAC activity assay kit using (Cell Biolabs, Inc., San diego , CA, USA) , respectively, measured according to kit instructions did.

  As a result, SOSA increased by 4.9 times, ORAC increased by 4.3 times, heated by 75 ° C, SOSA increased by 20 times, and ORAC increased by 3.5 times when heated at 55 ° C, compared to the unheated soot, and heating increased the antioxidant activity of the soot. It was shown to be effective (Table 1 below). In addition, when the relationship between the heating temperature (45 to 75 ° C.) and SOSA or ORAC was examined, SOSA showed a high value depending on the temperature, but it was also confirmed that ORAC showed almost the same value regardless of the heating temperature. did.

(5) Glucose content and amino nitrogen The changes over time of the glucose content and amino nitrogen content were compared for each of the 55 ° C. heat-treated rice cake and the 75 ° C. heat-treated rice cake. The results are shown in FIG. In the 55 ° C. heat-treated rice cake, both the glucose content and the amino nitrogen content rapidly increased on the first or second day and reached a plateau. In contrast, the 75 ° C. heat-treated rice bran was not effective in increasing the glucose content as compared with the 55 ° C. heat-treated rice cake, and neither the glucose content nor the amino nitrogen content changed after 1 to 2 days. From these results, it was considered that the enzymatic reaction is completed at 55 ° C. on the second day, and that heating at 75 ° C. causes the Maillard reaction to proceed using glucose and amino acids generated by the enzymatic reaction as substrates.

(Example 2) Preparation of liquefied soot (two-stage method)
From the results of Example 1, it was considered that the Maillard reaction could be further promoted by heating at a higher temperature after the enzyme reaction was allowed to proceed at 55 ° C. Therefore, a two-stage method was attempted in which heat treatment was performed at 55 ° C. for 2 days, and then heat treatment was performed at 75 ° C. for 5 days.

(1) Heat treatment As in Example 1, 2 ml of water is added to 2 g of the dried powder koji prepared, put into a tube with a screw cap, tightly sealed so that moisture does not evaporate, and kept in a constant temperature water bath at 55 ° C. Heat treatment was performed for 2 days, and then heat treatment was performed for 5 days in a 75 ° C. constant temperature water bath to obtain a liquefied soot (two-stage method).

(2) Confirmation of antioxidant activity The obtained liquefied soot (two-stage method) was measured for SOSA and ORAC in the same manner as in Example 1. The results are shown in Table 1 below together with the liquefied soot of Example 1 (one-step method).

*: Student'ｓ t-testにより未加熱麹と有意差あり（p<0.05）
+: Student'ｓ t-testにより55℃加熱麹と有意差あり（p<0.05）
++:Student’s t-testにより75℃加熱麹と有意差あり（p<0.05）

*: Significantly different from unheated rice cake by Student's t-test (p <0.05)
+: According to Student's t-test, there is a significant difference from 55 ° C heating pad (p <0.05)
++: Significantly different from Student's t-test with 75 ° C heating (p <0.05)

  As a result, SOSA was increased 93.8 times and ORAC 5.9 times that of unheated soot. This value is higher than that of cocoon heat-treated for 7 days at a constant temperature of 55 ° C or 75 ° C. To enhance the antioxidant activity of cocoon, it is effective to promote the enzyme reaction prior to the Maillard reaction at high temperature. I found out.

  In addition, paying attention to the total phenol content (TPC) in rice and Maillard reaction product 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) as a compound having antioxidant activity, after heat treatment by unheated rice bran and the above two-step method The total phenol content (TPC) was measured by Folin Ciocalteu method and the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content was analyzed by HPLC. FIG. 3A shows changes over time in TPC and HMF, and FIG. 3B shows changes over time in SOSA and ORAC. In the heat-treated bowl (two-stage method), TPC increased from 1.28 to 8.46 (mgGAE / g), and HMF increased from non-detected to 28.6 mg / g (FIG. 3A). Therefore, it was suggested that the antioxidant activity of the soot heat-processed on the said conditions originates in the Maillard reaction material including phenols and HMF.

  In addition, the difference in antioxidant activity depending on the type of cocoon was compared between white rabbit and jaundice. The koji made from white koji seed koji or yellow koji seed koji was heat-treated by the above two-stage method. The obtained liquefied soot was measured for SOSA and ORAC, and also for TPC and HMF. The results are shown in Table 2 below.

*：Student'ｓ t-testにより液化麹（白）と有意差あり（p<0.05）
**：Student'ｓ t-testにより液化麹（白）と有意差あり（p<0.01）

*: Significantly different from liquefied lees (white) by Student's t-test (p <0.05)
**: Significantly different from liquefied lees (white) by Student's t-test (p <0.01)

  In both cases, excellent antioxidant activity was obtained, but white cocoon was superior in terms of HMF productivity.

(Example 3)
In this example, IBM SPSS Statistics version 19 was used for statistical analysis, and the test between two groups was performed by Student's t-test, and the multiple test was performed by the One-way ANOVA Tukey method. In addition, after this experiment was approved by the Kagoshima University Animal Experiment Committee (No. A10053), the Act on the Protection and Management of Animals (Animal Protection Act, promulgated on June 22, 2005, June 1, 2006) (Enforcement, Ministry of the Environment)

(1) Preparation of experimental feed CE-2 (purchased from Kudo Co., Ltd.) was used as the standard diet for the experimental feed. For the experimental meal, use the koji or liquefied koji prepared in Example 2 freeze-dried, and mix the powdered koji powder or liquefied koji powder at 0.5% (w / w) with respect to CE-2. It was. As the cocoon, Aspergillus kawachii was used. Table 3 shows the nutritional composition of CE-2, koji, and liquefied koji.

CE-2の栄養組成は日本クレア社のホームページより引用。

The nutritional composition of CE-2 is quoted from the website of Claire Japan.

(2) Experimental animals Aging resistance model mouse SAMR1 (Senescence Accelarated-Resistant Mice), which shows normal aging action, and accelerated aging and short life, SAMP8 ( Senescence Accelerated-Prone Mice) was used.
8-week-old male aging-promoting model mice SAMP8 (27 mice) and aging-resistant mice SAMR1 (12 mice) of the same strain were purchased from Japan SLC.

(3) Schedule of feeding and Morris water maze experiment The schedule of mouse feeding and Morris water maze experiment is shown in FIG. After 1 week of pre-breeding, SAMP8 mice were grouped and a water maze preliminary experiment to confirm mice with abnormal swimming was conducted for 5 days, and SAMP8 mice were divided into 3 groups of 9 mice with equal swimming speed. It was. Two weeks from the start of the breeding to the start of feeding the experimental food was designated as a preliminary breeding period.

  The control SAMR1 mice were given CE-2, the normal (reference) diet, from the start of breeding to the time of sacrifice (SAMR1 / CE-2 group). SAMP8 mice in the experimental diet group were given CE-2 during the pre-breeding period, then continued to receive CE-2 as a Sharm control (SAMP8 / CE-2 group), a group given CE-2 and sputum powder (SAMP8 / CE-2 + 麹 group), CE-2 and liquefied cocoon powder group (SAMP8 / CE-2 + liquefied cocoon group) divided into 3 groups (9 animals / group). The food was raised for 7 weeks.

  Mice were housed one by one with a gauge, and the temperature was 20 ° C, and the light-dark cycle was 12 hours / 12 hours (8: 00-20: 00). Breeding with free feeding and free drinking. A Morris water maze experiment was conducted 3 weeks after the start of feeding the experimental diet (13 weeks of age). Breeding was terminated at the age of 17 weeks, and whole blood was collected by cardiac blood sampling under ether anesthesia and euthanized.

(4) Morris water maze experiment The Morris water maze experiment was conducted 3 weeks after the start of experimental diet feeding, and the learning and memory ability of the mice was determined behaviorally.

  A circular pool (FIG. 5A) with a diameter of 120 cm and a height of 20 cm was installed at the corner of the room to reduce position information from the outside environment as much as possible. The goal platform (PF) is made of transparent acrylic resin, installed in the upper right area of the pool (Fig. 5B) divided into four equal parts and submerged in water so that it cannot be detected from the water surface when thrown under the surface of the water ( FIG. 5A). Pool water temperature was 25 ° C. The experiment was divided into two types of experimental stages: training period and probe test. During the training period, mice were placed with their heads facing the walls from the three areas where the PF was not submerged, and the time elapsed until reaching the PF placed in the upper right area was measured. Mice that reached the PF stayed on the PF for 15 seconds to learn the position and then returned to the cage. If the PF could not be reached even after 60 seconds, the swimming was terminated at that point, and after reaching the arrival time of 60 seconds, it was forcibly moved to the PF and stayed for 15 seconds. This operation was performed 3 times a day for 14 days every day, and the probe test was performed on the next day (15th day) with PF removed. In the probe test, the mice were allowed to swim freely for 60 seconds under the condition where the PF was removed, and the residence time in the area around the PF was measured.

  As a result of the training period, the SAMP8 / CE-2 + group and the SAMP8 / CE-2 + liquefied group had no significant difference after the 12th day, but PF than the SAMP8 / CE-2 group (Sharm control). The arrival time was shortened and the decline in learning / memory ability was suppressed, reaching significantly earlier on the 14th day (FIG. 6).

  Although there was no significant difference in the results of the probe test, the residence time around the PF area was increased in the SAMP8 / CE-2 + group and SAMP8 / CE-2 + liquefied group compared to the SAMP8 / CE-2 group (Sharm control) (Fig. 7).

(5) Detection of amyloid fibril accumulation The amount of amyloid β caused by Alzheimer accumulated in brain tissue of mice was measured by immunofluorescence staining. Hippocampal tissue sections were used in the experiment, and the measurement sites were the hippocampal DG, CA1, and CA3 regions important for memory formation.

  Formalin-fixed tissue was embedded in paraffin to produce 6 μm slices. After deparaffinization, amyloid oligomers were stained using Proteostat Amyloid Plaque Detection Kit (Enzo, Plymouth Meeting, PA) according to the attached instructions. DNA was stained with DAPI to obtain an image of the cell nucleus. After photographing with a laser confocal microscope, the fluorescence intensity in the hippocampal CA1, CA3, and DG regions was quantified using Image J Software (NIH, Bethesda, MD).

  As a result, there was no significant difference between the groups in the CA1 region, but in the DG and CA3 regions, compared to the SAMP8 / CE-2 group (Sharm control), the SAMP8 / CE-2 + 麹 group and the SAMP8 / CE group. A significant decrease in amyloid β accumulation was observed in the −2+ liquefied cocoon group (FIG. 8).

  From the above results, it was revealed that wrinkles and liquefied wrinkles have an effect of improving dementia and preventing onset.

  The present invention can be used in the field of manufacturing foods (particularly functional foods and beverages such as supplements), pharmaceuticals, quasi drugs, and cosmetics.

Claims (13)

  A method for producing a liquefied koji with enhanced antioxidant activity, comprising a step of heat-treating koji at a temperature of 50 ° C to 60 ° C for 6 to 8 days.   Production of liquefied soot with enhanced antioxidant activity, comprising a step of heat treating koji at a temperature of 50 ° C. to 60 ° C. for 1-3 days, followed by a heat treatment of 70 ° C. to 80 ° C. for 4-6 days Method.   The manufacturing method according to claim 2, wherein the heat treatment at 50 ° C to 60 ° C is performed for 2 days, and the heat treatment at 70 ° C to 80 ° C is performed for 5 days.   The manufacturing method in any one of Claims 1-3 whose said soot is an equivalent mixture of dry soot and water.   The manufacturing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cocoon is selected from the group consisting of white cocoon, jaundice, and black cocoon.   A liquefied koji with enhanced antioxidant activity obtained by the production method according to claim 1.   An antioxidant comprising the liquefied soot according to claim 6.   Food / beverage products containing the antioxidant of Claim 7.   The food or drink according to claim 8, wherein the food or drink is a health food, a functional food, a nutritional supplement, or a food for specified health use.   A pharmaceutical, a quasi-drug, or a cosmetic comprising the antioxidant according to claim 7.   A therapeutic and / or prophylactic agent for dementia containing sputum or liquefied sputum as an active ingredient.   The therapeutic and / or preventive agent for dementia according to claim 11, wherein the liquefied sputum is a liquefied sputum obtained by the production method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.   The therapeutic and / or preventive agent for dementia according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the dementia is dementia caused by oxidative stress.

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