Food Browning and Its Prevention: An Overview
Received for review June 27, 1995. Revised manuscript
received October 20, 1995. Accepted November 13, 1995. Abstract: Enzymatic and nonenzymatic browning reactions of amino acids and
proteins with carbohydrates,
oxidized lipids, and oxidized phenols cause deterioration of food
during storage and processing. The
loss in nutritional quality and potentially in safety is attributed to
destruction of essential amino
acids, decrease in digestibility, inhibition of proteolytic and
glycolytic enzymes, interaction with
metal ions, and formation of antinutritional and toxic compounds.
Studies in this area include
influence of damage to essential amino acids on nutrition and food
safety, nutritional damage as a
function of processing conditions, and simultaneous formation of
deleterious and beneficial
compounds. These compounds include kidney-damaging Maillard
reaction products, mutagens,
carcinogens, antimutagens, antioxidants, antibiotics, and
antiallergens. This overview covers the
formation, nutrition, and safety of glycated proteins, characterized
browning products, and
heterocyclic amines. Possible approaches to inhibiting browning
reactions and preventing adverse
effects of browning during food processing and food consumption,
including protection against adverse
effects of heterocyclic amines by N-acetylcysteine,
caffeine, chlorophyll, conjugated linoleic acid,
lignin, and tea extracts, are also described. This research
subject covers a complex relationship of
the chemistry, biology, and pathology of browning products and the
impact on human nutrition
and health. Future study should differentiate antinutritional and
toxicological relationships, define
individual and combined potencies of browning products, and develop
means to prevent the formation
and to minimize the adverse manifestations of the most antinutritional
and toxic compounds. Such
studies should lead to better and safer foods and improved human
health.
Keywords: Browning prevention; food browning; food safety; glycated
proteins; glycosylation;
heterocyclic amines; human health; Maillard products;
nutrition
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