The contributions of N-15-labeled glycine and tested amino acids (glut
amine, glutamic acid, asparagine, aspartic acid, lysine, arginine, phe
nylalanine, and isoleucine) to pyrazine formation were investigated. A
total of 56 pyrazines were identified in the present studies. Some sp
ecific high molecular weight pyrazines were found in the reaction syst
ems containing phenylalanine and isoleucine. In the presence of glycin
e, glutamine and glutamic acid showed the least contributions, whereas
asparagine had the highest contribution to pyrazine formation. By com
paring the total yields of pyrazines generated from different reaction
mixtures, it was found that the reaction mixture containing lysine ha
d the highest, while the reaction mixture containing arginine possesse
d the lowest. The results also implied that lysine was able to increas
e the reactivity of glycine; however, arginine could decrease the capa
bility of glycine to produce pyrazines. The variety and quantity of th
e pyrazine formation depended on the reactivity and type of amino acid
used.