Abstract

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the induction of Maillard reaction in the presence of medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCTs). Light irradiation was found to induce Maillard reaction in a glucose-lysine system and led to the generation of ROS. The glucose-lysine Millard reaction was clearly inhibited by the presence of MCTs. Enhancement of this inhibitory effect by the addition of superoxide dismutase (SOD) confirmed that ROS are generated by light irradiation and that the generated superoxide anions (O₂^-) and hydroxy radicals (•OH) promote induction of the Maillard reaction. It is, hereby, proposed that the primary mechanism by which ROS contribute to the induction of the Maillard reaction involves the generation of •OH through the reaction of O₂^- and H₂O₂ (Haber-Weiss reaction).

Key words: Medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCTs), Long-chain triacylglycerols (LCTs), saturated fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acid, superoxide dismutase (SOD), superoxide anions (O₂^-), hydroxy radicals (•OH).