DETERMINATION OF FUROSINE IN PASTEURIZED MILK BY USE OF ION-PAIR REVERSED-PHASE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY

Levels of the furosine content were determined in commercial pasteuriz ed milk samples by use of ion-pair reversed-phase chromatography. Furo sine is generated hydrolytically from protein-bound epsilon-lactulosyl lysine which is the main chemical intermediate in the early stages of the Maillard reaction. The furosine content in thermally untreated mil k ranges from 3 to 5 mg/g protein; values between 6.0 and 7.3 were fou nd in this study in peroxidase-positive pasteurized milk for which a l imit of 8 mg furosine/100 g protein is actually discussed in the Europ ean Union. Higher levels of furosine in pasteurized milk might be caus ed by addition of certain amounts of highly heat treated and/or recons tituted milk.