Characterization of the Maillard Reaction of Enzyme-Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein Producing Meaty Aromas

When the model systems containing enzyme-hydrolyzed wheat protein, sugars and cysteine were heated with different time-temperature regimes, the Maillard reaction produced meaty aromas. The absorbance and fluorescence of the heated model systems were measured to characterize the Maillard reaction progress and the product profiles. The results showed that two ultraviolet (UV) absorbance peaks and fluorescence developed and both rapidly increased, indicating the accumulation of low molecular weight substances (LMWSs). At higher temperature, the UV-absorbance reached a plateau, while fluorescence reached a maximum and then decreased, suggesting that LMWSs polymerized to high molecular melanoidins. LMWSs are the most important Maillard flavor compounds. The over-polymerization of LMWSs is undesired for Maillard flavor production. The results showed that correlating the time-temperature regime, corresponding to the maximum UV-absorbance and fluorescence and the minimum browning, to the optimum conditions for Maillard flavor production was an easy and efficient way to process design and production quality monitor. Furthermore, 0–139.7 μg acrylamide per kilogram eHWP was formed in the Maillard reaction.