Reactive intermediates and carbohydrate fragmentation in Maillard chemistry

Much research is devoted to the elucidation of mechanisms in the Maillard reaction. Model studies with reactive intermediates and (13)C-labelled precursors have contributed significantly to our understanding of flavour formation in the Maillard reaction. Several examples are discussed here: The formation of methyl pyrazines and 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, the role of ARP's and deoxyglycosones and the formation of carbohydrate fragments from reducing sugars, 3-deoxyglucosone and ARP's. It is concluded that carbohydrate fragments, and also flavour substances derived therof, are formed from the starting reducing sugars (or the corresponding imines), deoxyglycosones, and possibly ARP's. A general scheme for flavour formation in the Maillard reaction is proposed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved