Abstract:

An aqueous ribose-cysteine model system (initial pH 7.0) was heated at 140 ℃ for 60 min under 16 MPa by high pressure carbon dioxide (HP-CO2) or high pressure nitrogen (HP-N2) and 0.28 MPa (conventional condition) and volatile compounds produced under various pressure conditions were analyzed by headspace-solid phase microextraction-gas chromatography- mass spectrometry. Higher amount of overall intermediates and less final products, together with lower browning were determined in the HP-CO2-treated reaction system in comparison with the conventional condition-treated while no significant differences in overall intermediates and final products were observed between the HP-N2-treated and the conventional conditiontreated reaction systems. HP-CO2 treatment showed an inhibition effect on the formation of most volatiles, but significantly improved the formation of thiols and disulfides, characteristic meat flavors (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in most volatile compounds between the HP-N2-treated and the conventional condition-treated reaction systems (P > 0.05), but the amount of 2,3-dihydro-6-methyl- thieno[2,3-c]furan was enhanced significantly (P < 0.05).

Key words: high pressure, Maillard reaction, volatile compounds, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, ribose, cysteine