Abstract
Melanoidins, the brown-colored compounds formed through the Maillard reaction, are responsible for color development in dulce de leche (DL), a popular confectionary dairy product in the Río de la Plata region, particularly in Uruguay and Argentina. Color is a critical quality parameter that strongly influences consumer preference. This work aimed to develop a method to perform preliminary structural characterization of the chromophores produced by the Maillard reaction. Melanoidins are present in a water-insoluble fraction, linked to a protein backbone, conforming melanoproteins of high molecular weight. The insoluble melanoprotein fraction (10% total solids) was isolated, and the chromophores released by proteolysis and isolated by gel-permeation chromatography. The analysis of the products revealed that they present a high degree of molecular weight (MW) polydispersity, in a range of 300 to 2000 Da, where the compounds of higher molecular weight contributed the most to the color of the product. The isolated fractions were further analyzed by RP-HPLC using a diode array detector (DAD) detector. These results, together with H-NMR data, suggested that the chromophores isolated belonged to a relatively simple mixture of aromatic products with higher hydrophobic character relative to other products of the melanoprotein digestion.
Highlights
The melanoidins are a greatly diverse group of colored compounds formed by the Maillard reaction between sugars and proteins
The de leche (DL) was prepared from cow milk and sucrose using standard industrial techniques and presented the typical characteristics of the product, in particular, a dark brown color
The melanoidins of DL are mainly associated with a water-insoluble protein macromolecular fraction, in the form of high molecular weight (MW) melanoproteins
Summary
The melanoidins are a greatly diverse group of colored compounds formed by the Maillard reaction between sugars and proteins. Most studies have focused mainly on the degree of advance of the reaction, the generation of colored compounds, and the different reaction mechanisms that led to their formation. In many foodstuffs, their potential biological properties have been studied, including genotoxicity and cytotoxicity, antioxidant. Molecules 2019, 24, 4163 activity, antimicrobial activity, and as probiotics and antihypertensives [1]. These compounds are capable of different binding ligands and aromatic compounds [2]. Color is a sensory characteristic crucial to defining consumer acceptability for many food products, which makes relevant the study and control of color development during food processing
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