Maillard volatiles, characteristics

Even though imidazoles comprise the second largest fraction of the volatile products obtained from Maillard reaction after pyrazines, they do not contribute any characteristic flavors to cooked foods (23). 

In heated foods the main reactions by which flavors are formed are the Maillard reaction and the thermal degradation of lipids. These reactions follow complex pathways and produce reactive intermediates, both volatile and non-volatile. It has been demonstrated that lipids, in particular structural phospholipids, are essential for the characteristic flavor development in cooked meat and that the interaction of lipids with products of the Maillard reaction is an important route to flavor. When model systems containing amino acids and ribose were heated in aqueous buffer, the addition of phospholipids had a significant effect on the aroma and on the volatile products. In addition a number of heterocyclic compounds derived from lipid - Maillard interactions were found. The extent of the interaction depends on the lipid structure, with phospholipids reacting much more readily than triglycerides. 

The reaction products of the Maillard reaction, such as l-amino-l-deoxy-2-ketose (Amadori product) or 2-amino-2-deoxyaldose (Heyns product), do not contribute to flavor directly but they are important precursors of flavor compounds [48]. These thermally unstable compounds undergo dehydration and deamination reactions to give numerous rearrangement and degradation products. The thermal degradation of such intermediates is responsible for the formation of volatile compounds that impart the characteristic burnt odor and flavor to various food products. For example, at temperatures above 100 C, enolization products (such as l-amino-2,3-enediol and 3-deoxyosone) yield, upon further dehydration, furfural from a pentose and 5-hydroxy methylfurfural and 5-meth-ylfurfural from a hexose [2]. 

Chang et al. [73] and Nawar et al. [74] have identified many of the volatiles formed during deep fat frying. They have found numerous acids, alcohols, aldehydes, hydrocarbons, ketones, lactones, esters, aromatics, and a few miscellaneous compounds (e.g., pentylfuran and 1,4-dioxane) as products of deep fat frying. More recently, Wagner and Grosch [75] have studied the key contributors to French fry aroma. The list of key aroma compounds in French fries includes 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazine, 3-ethyl-2,5-dimethylpyrazine, 2,3-diethyl-5-methylpyrazine, 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine, (E,Z), (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, trans-4,5-epoxy-(E)-2-decenal, 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone, methylpropanal, 2- and 3-methylbutanal, and methanethiol. If one examines this list, it is obvious that the Maillard reaction (pyrazines, branched chain aldeydes, furanones, and methional), and lipid oxidation (nnsaturated aldehydes) are the primary sources of this characteristic aroma. 

Potato flavor is greatly influenced by methods of cooking or preparation. Raw potato contains the characteristic earthy aroma component, 2-ixo-propyl-3-methoxypyrazine. A character impact compound common to boiled and baked potatoes is methional (3-[methylthio]propanal). Baked potatoes contain Maillard products such as 2-ethyl-3-methylpyrazine (earthy, nutty) and 2-ethyl-6-vinylpyr-azine (buttery, baked potato) (34). In potato chips and French-fried potatoes, the potato flavor character of methional is modified by volatile aromatics from frying oils, such as ( , )-2,4-decadienal, and thermally generated alkyl oxazoles possessing lactone-like flavors (34,39). The pyrazines 2-ethyl-3,5-dimethyl and 2,3-diethyl-5-methylpyrazine are described as potato chip like (40). 

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