Assessing antioxidant properties of Maillard reaction products: methods and potential applications as food preservatives

Abstract The Maillard reaction (MR), a series of complex chemical processes occurring during food heating and processing, significantly influences sensory and nutritional properties of foods. Beyond its traditional role in flavour and colour development, recent research has highlighted the antioxidant potential of Maillard reaction products (MRPs). This review aims to summarize the current knowledge on MRPs’ antioxidant properties, exploring various analytical techniques employed to assess the antioxidant capacity of MRPs and discussing their strengths and limitations. Factors such as pH, temperature, precursor composition, and food matrix interactions, which influence the antioxidant properties of MRPs, are evaluated. Additionally, this work explores the potential application of MRPs as natural food preservatives, leveraging their antioxidant properties to extend the shelf life of food products by preventing oxidation-related spoilage. It examines the emerging interest in utilizing food waste as a source of novel antioxidants. This review underscores the importance of understanding MRPs’ antioxidant properties for advancing food science and nutrition through the employment of MR to repurpose food waste into antioxidant-rich ingredients.