Takasago International Corporation

Ikuo Terada

Tsuyoshi Kobayashi

Tadahiro Hiramoto

Masato Murai

Toshihiro Takeda

Azusa Miki

The present invention relates to a method for screening a candidate substance for an unpleasant odor masking agent from among test substances using an olfactory receptor that is responsive to an unpleasant odor-causing substance. The screening method of the present invention includes the steps of:

Method for screening of unpleasant odor masking agents

The present invention relates to a screening method for materials that suppress the characteristic body odor of elderly people. The screening method of the present invention is designed such that test substances are screened with olfactory receptors responsive to substances responsible for the characteristic body odor of elderly people to select candidate substances for materials that suppress the characteristic body odor of elderly people, and this method comprises adding a test substance and a substance responsible for the characteristic body odor of elderly people to at least one olfactory receptor polypeptide selected from the group consisting of (a) OR2C1, OR2J2, OR4E2 and OR5P3, and (b) polypeptides which comprise an amino acid sequence sharing an identity of at least 80% with the amino acid sequence of any of the polypeptides in (a) and which are responsive to the substance responsible for the characteristic body odor of elderly people; measuring the response of the olfactory receptor polypeptide to the substance responsible for the characteristic body odor of elderly people; and identifying a test substance that suppresses the response of the olfactory receptor polypeptide on the basis of the measured response. Moreover, the present invention relates to a screening method for trans-2-nonenal odor suppressors and a screening method for trans-2-octenal odor suppressors.

Screening method for materials that suppress characteristic body odor of elderly people

The present invention provides a novel flavor improving agent capable of sufficiently enhancing or alleviating the flavor sensed in oral cavity; for example, enhancing and improving the thickness in taste or the like to provide depth and profoundness to the flavor, and also improving the sense of volume or the sharpness of aftertaste. The present invention also provides a food/drink, a pharmaceutical product and an oral care product having a good taste which can fulfill the recent high-level demand for taste.

Growing community of inventors

Kanagawa, Japan

Ikuo Terada