Maillard reaction products in bread: A novel semi-quantitative method for evaluating melanoidins in bread

• Published in: Food chemistry 2016-01, Vol.190, p.904-911
• Main Authors: Helou, Cynthia, Jacolot, Philippe, Niquet-Léridon, Céline, Gadonna-Widehem, Pascale, Tessier, Frédéric J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bread; Bread - analysis; Chromatography, Gel; Dietary Fiber - analysis; Dietary fibre; Fluorescence; Maillard Reaction; Melanoidins; Model system; Polymers - analysis
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.06.032

•A new method for melanoidin characterization in bread is proposed.•Size-exclusion chromatography & fluorescence are good tools for melanoidin analysis.•Soluble fluorescent melanoidins with a molecular weight between 1.7 and 5.6kDa are found in bread.•Melanoidins appear to contribute to the amount of dietary fibre measured in bread. The aim of this study was to test the methods currently in use and to develop a new protocol for the evaluation of melanoidins in bread. Markers of the early and advanced stages of the Maillard reaction were also followed in the crumb and the crust of bread throughout baking, and in a crust model system. The crumb of the bread contained Nε-fructoselysine and Nε-carboxymethyllysine but at levels 7 and 5 times lower than the crust, respectively. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural was detected only in the crust and its model system. The available methods for the semi-quantification of melanoidins were found to be unsuitable for their analysis in bread. Our new method based on size exclusion chromatography and fluorescence measures soluble fluorescent melanoidins in bread. These melanoidin macromolecules (1.7–5.6kDa) were detected intact in both crust and model system. They appear to contribute to the dietary fibre in bread.