Influence of sodium chloride on colour,residual volatiles and acrylamide formation in model systems and breakfast cereals

To elucidate the salt action in breakfast cereals to decrease its amount without a quality loss, a model system was developed. This model, composed of native maize starch, glucose and a mixture of five amino acids (glucose/amino acids molar ratio = 1/1) generated similar colour and volatiles (m/z = 45, 59, 69, 73, 87 and 103 g mol^?1) after heating compared to commercial breakfast cereals. A designed experiment used this model to study the influence of salt concentration (0–5.44%), heating time (0–25 min) and temperature (180–230 °C) on colour, residual volatiles and acrylamide formation. The higher the salt concentration, heating time and temperature, the darker were the products (P < 0.05). The L* values of the model systems containing 5 % salt and heated for 25 min at 230 °C were twelve points lower than the same systems without salt heated in the same conditions. Presence of salt significantly decreased acrylamide formation in the model systems (up to 50 % decrease when 2.5 % salt is added). However, salt did not have a significant impact on volatile levels. These findings were confirmed by observations made on four types of commercial breakfast cereals.