A review of Maillard reaction in food and implications to kinetic modelling

This paper reviews some of the research designed to lead to an increased understanding of the chemistry of the Maillard reaction, based on recent developments, and its influence on food properties like colour, flavour and nutritional value. A critical analysis is given on how quality attributes associated with,Maillard reaction can be predicted and controlled by kinetic modelling. Multiresponse modelling (taking more than one reactant and product into consideration in the modelling process) is a powerful tool to model complicated consecutive and parallel reactions, like the Maillard reaction. Such a multiresponse approach provides a major guidance in understanding the reaction mechanism. An illustrative example is given. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.