Dietary Maillard Reaction Products: Implications for Human Health and Disease

Abstract

When foods are heat processed, the sugars and lipids react with the proteins they contain via the Maillard and related reactions to form a wide range of products. As a result, the sensory, safety, nutritional and health-promoting attributes of the foods are affected. Reaction products include advanced glycation/lipoxidation endproducts (AGE/ALEs), acrylamide and heterocyclic amines (HAA), all of which may impact on human health and disease. Furthermore, some Maillard reaction products affect the growth of colonic bacteria and thermally-induced modification of dietary protein can affect allergenicity. This paper briefly reviews aspects of the Maillard reaction in food related to human health.