A review of Maillard reaction in food and implications to kinetic modelling

This paper reviews some of the research designed to lead to an increased un derstanding of the chemistry of the Maillard reaction, based on recent deve lopments, and its influence on food properties like colour, flavour and nut ritional value. A critical analysis is given on how quality attributes asso ciated with,Maillard reaction can be predicted and controlled by kinetic mo delling. Multiresponse modelling (taking more than one reactant and product into consideration in the modelling process) is a powerful tool to model c omplicated consecutive and parallel reactions, like the Maillard reaction. Such a multiresponse approach provides a major guidance in understanding th e reaction mechanism. An illustrative example is given. (C) 2001 Elsevier S cience Ltd. All rights reserved.