The kinetics of thermal generation of flavour

Abstract

Control and optimisation of flavour is the ultimate challenge for the food and flavour industry. The major route to flavour formation during thermal processing is the Maillard reaction, which is a complex cascade of interdependent reactions initiated by the reaction between a reducing sugar and an amino compound. The complexity of the reaction means that researchers turn to kinetic modelling in order to understand the control points of the reaction and to manipulate the flavour profile. Studies of the kinetics of flavour formation have developed over the past 30 years from single- response empirical models of binary aqueous systems to sophisticated multi-response models in food matrices, based on the underlying chemistry, with the power to predict the formation of some key aroma compounds. This paper discusses in detail the development of kinetic models of thermal generation of flavour and looks at the challenges involved in predicting flavour.

Antioxidant and chelating capacity of Maillard reaction products in amino acid‐sugar model systems: applications for food processing

“…In this sense, MRP may be characterized as a large, complex group of volatile compounds (aldehydes, reductones and heterocyclic compounds, among others), in addition to non‐volatile compounds of higher molecular weight, or melanoidins . In the food industry, MRP are important owing to their contribution to the organoleptic characteristics of food, leading to new or distinct aromas, tastes, colors and textures . The chemical changes stemming from MR during the processing of food and use of different technologies in the food industry are generally desirable and contribute toward the attributes of the final food product.…”

Predicting aroma formation with kinetic models

“…The Kinetics of Thermal Generation of Flavour (Parker, 2013) This is an excellent and thorough review of the most significant kinetic studies that have been done on the field of Maillard chemistry with attention to thermal generation of aromas.…”

Kinetic modelling of acrylamide formation during the finish-frying of french fries with variable maltose content

“…Multiresponse kinetic modelling is an effective technique to study the Maillard reaction (Balagiannis, 2014;Parker, 2013;van Boekel, 2008). It can be used predictively to obtain quantitative insight into complex reactions, but it can also serve as a means of probing and testing different mechanistic pathways, thus providing strategies for controlling the reaction and, in this case, minimising acrylamide.…”