Abstract: The effect of glycine addition on the residual substrate concentration, pH and color of a glucose-cysteine Maillard reaction system as well as meat flavor compounds including 1,2-ethanedithiol, 2-ethylpyrazine, 2,4,5-trimethylthiazole and 2-acetylfuran was investigated. The results demonstrated that with increasing glycine addition, residual cysteine concentration remained basically unchanged, while residual glucose concentration slightly decreased. Besides, large amounts of colored compounds were formed, and the pH became lower. Meanwhile, both 1, 2-ethanedithiol and 2, 4, 5-trimethylthiazole exhibited an initial increase and subsequent decrease, 2-ethylpyrazine revealed a gradual decrease, and 2-acetylfuran revealed an increase first and then remained basically unchanged. As for sensory evaluation, the meat flavor of the system revealed an increase due to the addition of glycine at 0.20 mol/L.

Key words: glycine, Maillard reaction system, cysteine, glucose, meat flavor