EFFECTS OF TIME AND TEMPERATURE ON THE FORMATION OF MEIQ(X) AND DIMEIQ(X) IN A MODEL SYSTEM CONTAINING THREONINE, GLUCOSE, AND CREATINE

This project studied the effects of processing time and temperature on the formation of MeIQ(x) and DiMeIQ(x), two of the most common aminoimidazoazaarenes (AIAs) found in food. Each model system containing threonine, glucose, and creatine (2:1:2 molar ratio) was processed for 2 h at a temperature between 125 and 250 degrees C. Neither MeIQ(x) nor DiMeIQ(x) was found at processing temperatures lower than 150 degrees C. At temperatures between 150 and 200 degrees C, AIA concentrations increased with processing time. However, at 225 and 250 degrees C the concentrations of the two products increased during the initial 15-30 min of processing and then decreased for the remainder of the processing run. MeIQ(x) and DiMeIQ(x) did not appear in the reaction mixture until almost all of the creatine was converted into creatinine. This systematic study suggests that maintaining cooking temperatures below 150 degrees C may reduce the formation of MeIQ(x) and DiMeIQ(x) in food.