Abstract:

Pulsed electric field treatment was applied to enhance asparagine-fructose model Maillard reaction. The effect of pulsed treatment time on the pH, browning degree (A294 nm), acrylamide and 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (HMF) contents determined by HPLC and DPPH radical scavenging capacity of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) between asparagines and fructose and fructose consumption were analyzed at the same field intensities (5, 10, 15 kV/cm and 20 kV/cm) using 60 ℃ water bath heating as the control. The Maillard reaction between asparagines and fructose was markedly promoted by pulsed electric field treatment. Browning degree and DPPH radical scavenging capacity after the reaction were both positively correlated with pulsed treatment time or field intensity. Besides, almost neither acrylamide nor 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde was detected in MRPs derived from pulsed electric field treatment at different field intensities or from water bath heating.

Key words: pulsed electric field, Maillard reaction, asparagine-fructose solution system, browning, antioxidant activity