Investigation of a Unique Commonality from a Wide Range of Natural Materials as Viewed from the Maillard Reaction Perspective

Based on the characteristics of a wide range of natural products, a more comprehensive understanding of the role of the Maillard reaction has been developed which describes a molecular basis for the production of a common set of flavourful, volatile aromatic compounds from the reactions between amino acids and sugars at elevated temperature (pressure cooking). By employing a variety of natural products, a clearer knowledge of the common mechanisms for the production of many important flavourants and odourants has been established. Regardless of the starting natural product the same qualitative profile of volatile materials is produced upon ‘pressure cooking’ an aqueous extract of the natural product. The notable differences in aroma arise not from significant differences in the qualitative nature of the materials but from variations in the quantitative distribution of the volatile materials produced.