Effect of sugar types on structural and flavor properties of peony seed derived Maillard reaction products

Abstract

Due to limited utilization of peony seed meal in the food industry, the effect of different sugars on the structural and flavor properties of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) from peony seed meal hydrolysates (PSH) was investigated. It was noticed that the influence of ribose, xylose, and glucose on the structure of MRPs was greater than maltose and xylooligosaccharide. The MRPs prepared by ribose and xylose showed the greater browning intensity, degree of substitution (DS), and fluorescence intensity. The molecular weight (MW) distribution of 500–1,000 Da, 1,000–3,000 Da, and >3,000 Da was significantly increased in all the MRPs. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) showed that MW distribution, free amino acids, and volatile compounds contributed remarkably to the sensory attributes of MRPs. The sugars that provided the stronger meaty and umami tastes to the MRPs were ribose and xylose. Practical applications The peony seed meal is accumulated as a main ecological pollutant during the production of peony seed oil; however, it is an excellent source of plant protein. In the modern food industry, there is an increasing demand for plant proteins over animal derived proteins in various health foods. Therefore, we aimed to prepare flavor agent using peony seed meal protein via Maillard reaction (MR). The effects of sugar types on the color change, structure characteristics, and flavor generation of MRPs were investigated. The improvement of MRPs after the conjugation with various sugar types can increase their industrial potential as flavor enhancers.