El Hosry Leina, Elias Vanessa, Chamoun Vanessa, Halawi Malda, Cayot Philippe, Nehme Anthony, Bou-Maroun Elias
Department of Nursing and Health Sciences, Notre Dame University-Louaize, Zouk Mosbeh, Zouk Mikael P.O. Box 72, Lebanon.
Department of Chemistry, International College, Hamra Bliss Street, Beirut P.O. Box 113-5373, Lebanon.
Foods. 2025 May 26;14(11):1881. doi: 10.3390/foods14111881.
The Maillard reaction is a complex chemical reaction that occurs between nucleophilic groups, such as thiolates or amino groups primarily from amino acids, peptides, proteins, and carbonyl groups, particularly from reducing sugars. The pH value of the medium is a key parameter controlling the kinetics of the Maillard reaction, as it influences the concentration of nucleophilic groups. Other specific conditions of reaction medium such as temperature, reaction time (or residence time in a process), and water activity also significantly influence the Maillard reaction. Understanding the impact of these parameters is essential for optimizing the Maillard reaction to enhance sensory attributes, nutritional qualities, and product stability during the storage and distribution of the final products. The Maillard reaction is responsible for the formation of desirable sensory qualities such as flavor, aroma, color, and texture in cooked and thermally processed foods, in addition to the improvement of nutritional value and shelf life of foods. In contrast, there are limitations in its industrial applications, as it can also generate harmful compounds such as acrylamide, N(6)-carboxymethyllysine, furans, and heterocyclic amines, as well as undesired changes in the nutritional value of the food. This review provides an overview of the Maillard reaction's mechanism, influencing parameters, pros and cons, as well as some food industrial applications.
美拉德反应是一种复杂的化学反应，发生在亲核基团之间，如主要来自氨基酸、肽、蛋白质的硫醇盐或氨基，以及特别是来自还原糖的羰基之间。介质的pH值是控制美拉德反应动力学的关键参数，因为它会影响亲核基团的浓度。反应介质的其他特定条件，如温度、反应时间（或过程中的停留时间）和水分活度，也会显著影响美拉德反应。了解这些参数的影响对于优化美拉德反应至关重要，以便在最终产品的储存和分销过程中增强感官特性、营养品质和产品稳定性。美拉德反应不仅负责在烹饪和热加工食品中形成理想的感官品质，如风味、香气、颜色和质地，还能提高食品的营养价值和保质期。相比之下，其在工业应用中存在局限性，因为它还会产生有害化合物，如丙烯酰胺、N(6)-羧甲基赖氨酸、呋喃和杂环胺，以及食品营养价值的不良变化。本综述概述了美拉德反应的机制、影响参数、优缺点以及一些食品工业应用。
