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Food Functional Analysis Lab
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A lab that uses analysis to explore lipid oxidation and glycation in foods and in the body.
AboutAbout the lab
Pinpointing changes in lipids with analytical techniques.
The Food Functional Analysis Lab investigates the reactions in which lipids undergo chemical changes such as oxidation and glycation in foods and in the body, and evaluates their effects on quality and on the body.
Using mass spectrometry and other methods, the lab develops analytical techniques that distinguish lipid hydroperoxides, the primary products of oxidation, at the isomer level.
The lab also studies functional components such as antioxidants from two sides: protecting food quality, and their form and function inside the body.
Key terms
- Lipid hydroperoxide
- A primary oxidation product formed when lipids react with oxygen. It further breaks down into various secondary products.
- Isomer
- Molecules with the same kinds and numbers of atoms but different bonding or arrangement
- Maillard reaction
- A reaction in which sugars react with other molecules. It is involved in the color and flavor of food.
- Ferroptosis
- A new type of cell death that has attracted attention in recent years
NewsLab news
A master's student received a Student Encouragement Award at the 64th Annual Meeting of the Japan Oil Chemists' Society (JOCS)
Results of joint research with the Nisshin OilliO Group won the Award of the JOCS's Selected Lecture at the JOCS Annual Meeting
A doctoral student and a master's student received awards at the 73rd Annual Meeting of the Japan Society for Food Science and Technology
Research results were published in the international journal Food Chemistry
Associate Professor Ito received the 2026 UJA Paper Award and Encouragement Award
ResearchResearch themes
The lab comprehensively captures chemical changes such as oxidation and glycation that lipids undergo in foods and in the body, and evaluates their effects on food quality and on the body. It also investigates functional components such as antioxidants from both the food side and the body side.
*Illustrative imageAnalysis to distinguish isomers of lipid oxidation products
The lab develops original analytical techniques that distinguish lipid hydroperoxides, the primary oxidation products of lipids, at the isomer level. Using instruments centered on mass spectrometry, it is also developing rapid, non-destructive analytical methods based on near-infrared spectroscopy.
*Illustrative imageElucidating degradation pathways of lipid oxidation products
The lab traces the pathways by which lipid hydroperoxides are further degraded and metabolized into various secondary products. It combines its original analytical methods with knowledge and techniques from synthetic organic chemistry and computational science.
*Illustrative imageEffects of oxidation on foods and the body
The lab evaluates, in both negative and positive aspects, how lipid hydroperoxides and their degradation and metabolic products affect the color and flavor of food. It also studies their effects on human health, focusing on their relationship with ferroptosis, a newly recognized form of cell death.
*Illustrative imageLipid glycation and the Maillard reaction
The lab focuses on the Maillard reaction (glycation) in which lipids react with sugars. It is working to clarify the whole picture of the reaction from two sides: the mechanism in which lipids react directly with sugars, and the mechanism that does not involve sugars and starts from lipid oxidation degradation products.
MembersFaculty
The lab's members consist of faculty, visiting faculty, students in the doctoral program (including working professionals), master's program, and undergraduate program, as well as international students and research students.As of 2026
- ProfessorKiyotaka Nakagawa
- Associate ProfessorTakahiro Eitsuka
- Associate ProfessorShunji Kato
- Associate ProfessorJunya Ito
- Assistant ProfessorIbuki Kusumoto
VoicesStudent voices
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Olive oil factory – IMG” Kızıl / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Analysis to distinguish isomers of lipid oxidation products: “Liquid chromatograph with mass spectrometer, in CAFIA laboratory, Czech Republic” Sarka Na kopci / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Elucidating degradation pathways of lipid oxidation products: “3d model of thiotepa molecule with calculated molecular electrostatic potential surface” Anselm Schüler / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Effects of oxidation on foods and the body: “Boiling Cooking oil for deep frying chicken 01” Ssemmanda will / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Lipid glycation and the Maillard reaction: “Laugenbroetchen (fcm)” Photographer: Frank C. Müller / CC BY-SA 2.5 (cropped)
- Related lab (食品化学): “Bureau of Chemistry Oil, Fat, and Wax Laboratory - DPLA - f3d71e939597ba23c14e80ed6d722d1b” United States. Food and Drug Administration / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (栄養学): “CSIRO ScienceImage 3075 Laboratory work with microcalorimeter” division, CSIRO / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (植物細胞生化学): “Plant-uptake-indonesian” Dasaptaerwin / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (テラヘルツ食品工学): “CSIRO ScienceImage 2672 Loading bottles into the highpressure processing unit” North Sullivan Photography, CSIRO / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
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