Food Chemistry Study on Enzymatic Browning and the Maillard Reaction

Abstract

Food chemistry studies on enzymatic browning and the Maillard reaction were reviewed. Enzymatic browning can broadly be categorized into immediate and delayed types. We investigated the mechanisms and regulation of enzymatic browning of apple as an example of the immediate type, and browning of lettuce and mung bean sprout as the delayed type. The Maillard reaction is the major cause of non-enzymatic browning. However, melanoidins, which are the major brown pigments formed by the reaction, are large, heterogenous, high-molecular-weight compounds with chemical structures that are difficult to elucidate. We therefore focused on the low-molecular-weight pigments formed by the Maillard reaction. We identified various novel pigments in model systems and foods based on instrumental analyses.