PROPERTIES AND ELIMINATION OF BITTER COMP ONENTS DERIVED FROM TARTARYBUCKWHEAT (FAGOPYRUM-TATARICUM) FLOUR

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum), a species of edible buckwheat s, is commonly taken as a diet in eastern Asian countries. Tartary buc kwheat contains highly rutin, and has been found to lower one's blood pressure, but it's characteristic bitter taste prevents it from using as a diet in Japan. Therefore, in an attempt to use tartary buckwheat as a desirable food additive available for improving hypertension, the elimination of bitterness from tartary buckwheat flours was investiga ted. It was revealed through sensory analysis that bitter components w hich mainly located outside the grain could be extracted from tartary buckwheat flour with 75% (v/v) aqueous ethanol solution. As the bitter components, three compounds, quercetin, uncertain bitter compound F 3 and F 4 were isolated. These components were easily eliminated by was hing the flour with 75% (v/v) aqueous ethanol solution. Furthermore, t he production of quercetin and uncertain bitter compound F3 were preve nted by heating the flour at more than 70 degrees C. Because these tre atments didn't decrease the rutin content, bitterness free tartary buc kwheat flour obtained was expected to be useful for a material of phys iologically functional food available for improving hypertension.