Research & Development
How can naturally occurring compounds be made easier to use? Explore the materials and methods behind our research.
Pione grape skins
Resveratrol is a polyphenol found in grape skins. Hamada studied how to put skins from Okayama-grown Pione grapes to use as a food ingredient.
Glycosylation and chili peppers
Glycosylation attaches a sugar to a molecule. This can change properties such as how readily the molecule dissolves in water. Hamada and colleagues studied the process using capsaicin, a compound responsible for the heat of chili peppers.
Inclusion complexes and CoQ10
In an inclusion complex, part of one molecule fits inside a cavity in another. One material described in our research combines coenzyme Q10 with cluster dextrin.
Daidzein from soybeans
Daidzein is a soybean isoflavone. Researchers used eucalyptus cells grown in the laboratory to produce forms of daidzein with sugars attached.
Vitamin E and citrus compounds
Researchers applied glycosylation to alpha-tocopherol, a form of vitamin E, and hesperetin, a flavonoid associated with citrus, to compare the resulting compounds.
Curcumin from turmeric
Curcumin gives turmeric its yellow color. Researchers studied forms of curcumin and other compounds with short chains of sugars attached.
Compounds related to resveratrol
Researchers used cultured plant cells to attach sugars to compounds with structures similar to resveratrol, including oxyresveratrol and gnetol.
Reading laboratory results
Laboratory tests show how a compound behaves under specific conditions. Separate studies are needed to understand what happens when people use a finished food or cosmetic product.