Abstract: Food-derived protein hydrolysates/peptides and saccharides are valuable and exploitable food resources. Covalent complexes formed by the Maillard reaction of food-derived protein hydrolysates/peptides and saccharides are superior in their structure and nutritional functions. Therefore, the Maillard reaction has been widely used to improve the functional characteristics of protein hydrolysates, and has currently become a hot spot in the field of food research. This article reviews the sources of raw materials for and the mechanism of the Maillard reaction between food-derived protein hydrolysates/peptides and saccharides and the preparation methods, structural characteristics, functional properties, nutritional and biological activities of the Maillard reaction products as well as their current applications and future prospects in the fields of food and medicine. This review provides a new idea for the development of functional food products based on the Maillard reaction between food-derived protein hydrolysates/peptides and saccharides, and provides a theoretical basis to explore their health effects in the future.

Key words: protein hydrolysates; peptides; saccharides; Maillard reaction; functional activity