Modelling and control of Maillard browning

The Maillard reaction of reducing sugars with amino acids, peptides and proteins is the main cause of browning and flavour formation during the heating (thermal processing, cooking) of all but the most acidic of foods. It is a cascade of reaction steps which give rise to a mixture of low and high molecular weight coloured products, and hundreds of low molecular weight volatile compounds which are responsible for the characteristic and often subtle flavours of cooked food. The reaction is exploited in the manufacture of'process flavours' for which mixtures of sugars and amino acids are often heated at high concentration. Undoubtedly, it is one of the most important chemical changes which takes place in food.