Classes of Aroma Compounds Formed in the Maillard Reaction

Classes of Aroma Compounds Formed in the Maillard Reaction 

The aroma volatiles produced in the Maillard reaction have been classified into three groups by Nursten [6], and this provides a convenient way of viewing the origin of the complex mixture of volatile compounds derived from the Maillard reaction in foods  

Volatiles produced by further interactions pyrroles, pyridines, pyr-azines, imidazoles, oxazoles, thiazoles, thiophenes, dithiolanes, trithi-olanes, dithianes, trithianes, furanthiols 

The first group contains compounds produced in the early stages of the reaction by the breakdown of the Amadori or Heynes intermediates, and includes similar compounds to those found in the caramelisation of sugars. Many of these compounds possess aromas that could contribute to food flavour, but they are also important intermediates for other compounds. The second group comprises simple aldehydes, hydrogen sulphide or amino compounds that result from the Strecker degradation occurring between amino acids and dicarbonyl compounds. 

The products in these two groups are capable of further reaction, and the subsequent stages of the Maillard reaction involve the interaction of furfurals, fu-ranones and dicarbonyls with other reactive compounds such as amines, amino acids, hydrogen sulphide, thiols, ammonia, acetaldehyde and other aldehydes. 

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