Effect of pH on the taste of alkaline electrolyzed water.

The pH dependence of the taste of alkaline electrolyzed water (AEW) made by electrolyzing bottled mineral waters was examined by sensory evaluation. For water with a calcium concentration of 79 or 93 mg/L, the taste of AEW with a pH of 9.5 was considered better than that of the unelectrolyzed water.

Evaluation of PCR-single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis for identification of gram-negative histamine-producing bacteria isolated from fish.

In this study, the previously established PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) system for detecting and identifying gram-negative histamine-producing bacteria was evaluated. This system can detect and identify histamine-producing bacteria directly from seafood by the use of sequence polymorphisms of the histidine decarboxylase gene (hdc). First, we isolated 81 histamine-producing strains of bacteria from fish samples and analyzed the hdc gene by the PCR-SSCP system.

Effect of deaerated water on serum biochemical values and on the cecum concentration of short-chain fatty acids in the rat.

The effects of drinking deaerated water on serum biochemical values, and on the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) derived from bacterial fermentation in the colon were examined in rats. Drinking deaerated water decreased the levels of serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP) and serum urea nitrogen (SUN), and increased the serum potassium (SK) and serum phosphorus (SP) levels. Although the concentration of propionic acid in the cecum was decreased by drinking deaerated water, the concentrations of isobutyric, valeric, and isovaleric acid in the cecum were increased.