Maillard reaction: formation, advantage, disadvantage and control. A review

The Maillard reaction (MR) is often known as the amino-carbonyl reaction, nonenzymatic browning, or protein glycation reaction. The non-enzymatic browning reaction is influenced by several factors like period, quantity of H2O, temperature, involved reactants, pH, and metal ions in food. During the production, processing, and storage of food, the MR is a crucial chemical process. While Maillard reaction products (MRPs) can enhance food quality during processing, some unfavorable reactions can also result in undesirable food effects. There are two sides to MRPs. The positive side is that these products have several advantages such as improvement in color, odor, flavor, and antioxidant ability. On the other hand, the negative side represents decreasing food quality and the nutritional value of some foods, as well as some health-related problems. The review involves several strategies by which MR could be controlled or prevented. These strategies were divided into two parts, the first is non-enzymatic which is done by adding functional ingredients that work to modify reducing sugars and amino groups and/or trapping of α-dicarbonyl compounds. The second is enzymatic, by using enzymes for example, fructosamine kinase, fructosamine oxidase, and lactose oxidase.