Effect of reactant concentrations on the Maillard reaction in a fructose–glycine model system and the inhibition of black tiger shrimp polyphenoloxidase

The characteristics and the inhibitory activity towards black tiger shrimp polyphenoloxidase of Maillard reaction products (MRPs), prepared by heating an equimolar mixture of fructose and glycine at various concentrations (0.75–30 mM) at 100 °C for 12 h, were investigated. Increase in the intermediate products was observed with increasing reactant concentration, as evidenced by the increase in A₂₉₄ and fluorescence intensity. Furthermore, development of browning (A₄₂₀) was noticeable when the reactant concentration increased. The inhibitory activity of MRPs towards PPO gradually increased when the concentration of each reactant increased and reached a maximum at 30 mM (80% inhibition). The increase in the inhibitory activity of MRPs was coincidental with the increase in the reducing power, A₂₉₄, fluorescence intensity, as well as browning intensity. Generally, the development of Maillard reaction products was associated with decrease in pH and loss of reducing sugar and free amino groups, with coincidental increase in reducing power and copper-chelating property. MRPs with the reactant concentration of 4.5–30 mM were able to chelate the copper ion. Therefore, the inhibitory activity of MRPs towards browning, induced by PPO, was most likely due to their copper-chelating property as well as reducing power.