Studies on the Spoilage of Fish Jelly Products-IV.

Browning of Kamaboko by Pseudomonas sp. (2)

Abstract

It has been reported previously that the bacterial browning of kamaboko is probably due to the amino-carbonyl reaction between carbohydrates and amino compounds, but the detailed mechanism of this reaction has not yet been clarified.
The precursor of the browning substance produced by Pseudomonas sp. isolated from browning kamaboko was investigated in order to make clear the mechanism of browning.
It was recognized that the precursor was derived from glucose and not from the amino acids tested. Besides, it was confirmed by paper chromatography that the precursor was acidic and had strong reducing power. This precursor reacted nonenzymatically with ε-amino-n-caproic acid or acidic amino acids to produce the browning substance. It is likely that this precursor is 2, 5-diketogluconic acid or its related compound.