A Kinetic Model of Acrylamide Formation inside of the Heat Boundary Layer

The Maillard reaction is important for the formation of color and aroma in heat-processed foods, but it may also be associated with the formation of toxic compounds, such as acrylamide (AA) and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). In an acetic acid food system, the major characteristics of the heating process are heat transfer and mass transfer. During high-temperature heating, an acetic acid system contains a heat boundary layer (HBL). For the food system, AA and HMF formations are complex on the inside of the HBL. To assess the effects of chitosan addition on the inhibition of AA formation, a kinetic model in the food system was developed that combined the Langmuir adsorption mechanism, the coverage function, the relative efficiency of chitosan dispersion, and the step function to predict the entire heating time. The inhibition of AA formation in asparagine-glucose-chitosan solution is dependent on chitosan addition and chitosan dispersion on the inside of the HBL. For extending heating duration, AA forms with high loading of glucose and asparagine were significantly higher than those with low loading. The effect of the asparagine on the AA content is related to one reaction pathway in the AA formation. However, the effect of sugar reduction on the AA content is due to two reaction pathways. For heating circumstances, a process prediction with different glucose and asparagine loadings was developed.

Automated summary

The Maillard reaction plays a crucial role in the color and aroma formation of heat-processed foods, but it can also lead to the generation of toxic compounds. Chitosan addition has been found to inhibit the formation of acrylamide (AA). By developing a kinetic model, the effects of chitosan on AA formation under different conditions were analyzed.