Researchers analysing hardened plaque from eight people buried in Edo-era Osaka detected 38 dietary proteins, including luxury red sea bream and cold-water fish imported through Japan's shipping networks

Nearly 400 years ago, people living in Osaka had no refrigerators, supermarkets or modern food supply chains. Yet an unusual scientific discovery suggests that their diets were far more varied than expected. Researchers analysing hardened dental plaque from eight people buried at the Umeda cemetery in Osaka identified 38 dietary proteins from 17 types of food, offering a rare glimpse into what ordinary people ate during Japan’s Edo period. The study, published in Anthropological Science, was conducted by researchers from the Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Aomori Public University, Kyushu University and other institutions.