A model system based on glucose-arginine to monitor the properties of Maillard reaction products.

An arginine-glucose mixture (1:2 mol ratio) with pH 9 was heated at 53-100 °C for 10-350 min, and the effects of process parameters were determined during the Maillard reaction (MR). The heating temperature and time were selected as process conditions and were studied with central composite design. The model system was tested based on the values obtained from antioxidant capacity, browning intensity, pH, acrylamide (AC), and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) concentrations. Higher temperatures and longer time resulted in higher antioxidant capacity and browning intensity while lowering the pH values. HMF concentration of MR products was found higher in lower temperatures with longer processing time, whereas AC concentration was found higher in high temperatures.