Unravelling caramelization and Maillard reactions in glucose and glucose + leucine model cakes: Formation and degradation kinetics of precursors, α-dicarbonyl intermediates and furanic compounds during baking

Understanding the mechanisms leading to the multitude of newly–formed compounds generated during the thermal processing of food is important for the reasoned construction of quality. Thanks to a solid food model with a structure and technological history comparable to that of a real sponge cake and containing only known amounts of precursors (glucose with or without leucine), an adapted reaction scheme unravelling Maillard and caramelization reactions was built and then compared to experimental kinetic data measured on numerous reaction markers (precursors, α–dicarbonyl intermediates and furanic compounds). For caramelization, this study showed that glucose mainly formed 1,2–enediol and then fructose rather than glucosone and glyoxal. 5–hydroxymethylfurfural started to form when there were sufficient quantities of fructose, and 3,4–dideoxyoglucosone was not generated until after this step. Furfural was mainly formed via 3–deoxyglucosone. The involvement of leucine tended to accelerate the breakdown of sugars as more degradation pathways (via enaminols) were added.