Abstract: In this study, gas chromatography (GC) was applied to investigate the scavenging effects of the food antioxidants alkyl gallates [propyl gallate (PG), octyl gallate (OG), and dodecyl gallate (DG)] on the highly active glycosylation factors 1,2-carbonyl compounds [glyoxal (GO) and methylglyoxal (MGO)] in foods, and we also evaluated how PG/OG/DG concentration, pH and reaction time influence the scavenging effect of these 1,2-carbonyl compounds. In addition, the scavenging mechanism was explored through high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The following findings were obtained: 1) The 1,2-carbonyl compounds were effectively scavenged by the three antioxidants and the effects decreased in the following order: PG > OG > DG. 2) The scavenging percentages of 1,2-carbonyl compounds by PG at 0.5 mmol/L were 70.5% for GO and 67.6% for MGO, while the scavenging percentages of GO and MGO were more than 50% by OG and DG at 0.5 mmol/L. 3) In an arginine-glucose system and cookies, the scavenging effects were positively proportional to scavenger concentration, pH, and reaction time. 4) In cookies, the mechanism may be that PG and OG captured one molecule of GO or MGO to form adducts, while DG captured one molecule of GO to form an adduct. We therefore conclude that alkyl gallates can scavenge exogenous 1,2-carbonyl compounds during food processing, thereby enhancing food safety.

Key words: glyoxal, methylglyoxal, propyl gallat, octyl gallate, dodecyl gallate, cookies