FURFURAL, HYDROXYMETHYLFURFURAL AND FUROSINE AS MAILLARD REACTION MARKERS IN FRUIT BASED FOODS INCLUDING JAMS AND BABY FOOD

The Maillard reaction occurs between amino acids and reducing sugars and goes through a series of reactions to form various products (MRPs - Maillard reaction products). The reaction is well-known for browning it causes in thermally treated foodstuffs. Many factors influence the type of MRPs formed: pH, sugar content, and processing conditions (temperature, pressure, duration). The compounds formed exhibit different biological properties, some are harmful to organisms and some are considered to be beneficial. MRPs may also occur in jams and fruit-based baby foods at the level of mg/100 g. As these products are popular among consumers at every age including babies, many studies focus on the evaluation of Maillard reaction on their quality. In this review we have discussed the occurrence, factors affecting the process of formation of chosen MRPs, furosine and hydroxymethylfufural, in fruit jams as well as their influence on the organism.

Automated summary

The Maillard reaction occurs between amino acids and reducing sugars to form various products known as MRPs. Factors such as pH, sugar content, and processing conditions influence the type of MRPs formed, which exhibit different biological properties. Studies focus on evaluating the impact of Maillard reaction on the quality of food products like jams.