Polyol‐mediated Maillard reaction modulation strategy for food chemical hazards inhibition and sensory quality maintenance of Cantonese bakery

BACKGROUND Cantonese bakery, rich in proteins and reducing sugars, are prone to forming carcinogenic acrylamide (AA) and heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) during high‐temperature baking. Existing mitigation strategies often target single hazards or compromise sensory quality. This study introduces a novel polyol‐mediated Maillard reaction modulation strategy (PMS) aimed at simultaneously suppressing AA and HAAs formation while preserving the characteristic sensory attributes of these traditional foods. RESULTS Through substitution of 50% sucrose with alternative polyols (xylitol, erythritol, sorbitol, maltitol), the PMS method significantly reduced the levels of hazardous AA and HAAs in mooncakes, ham cookies, and almond biscuits. Particularly, the inhibition of total hazards (HAAs and AA) in these Cantonese bakery products increased from 20.71% to 84.44% with increasing substitution of erythritol. Simultaneously, critical texture and taste parameters essential for consumer acceptance were maintained, alongside a 25–75% reduction in sucrose content. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the polyols and their composition ratios in the PMS method were the primary determinants of comprehensive quality characteristics, among which suitable replaced erythritol achieved an optimal balance between the preservation of sensory quality and the enhancement of nutritional safety. CONCLUSION The PMS strategy provides an effective and practical approach for mitigating multiple thermal processing hazards in Cantonese bakery. It establishes a foundation for health‐oriented innovation in this traditional food sector, demonstrating that precision modulation of Maillard reaction pathways via tailored polyol blends can reconcile nutritional safety imperatives with the demand for uncompromised sensory excellence.