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Review
. 2025 Aug 3;14(15):2721.
doi: 10.3390/foods14152721.

Maillard Reaction in Flour Product Processing: Mechanism, Impact on Quality, and Mitigation Strategies of Harmful Products

Yajing Qi  1 , Wenjun Wang  1 , Tianxiang Yang  1 , Wangmin Ding  1 , Bin Xu  1
Affiliations
Review

Maillard Reaction in Flour Product Processing: Mechanism, Impact on Quality, and Mitigation Strategies of Harmful Products

Yajing Qi et al. Foods. .

Abstract

The Maillard reaction refers to the reaction between carbonyl compounds with reducing properties and amino-containing compounds that undergo condensation and polymerization to produce melanoidins. In flour product processing, the Maillard reaction is a critical chemical reaction influencing color, flavor, nutrition, and safety. A moderate Maillard reaction contributes to desirable color and flavor profiles in flour products, whereas an excessive reaction leads to amino acid loss and the formation of harmful substances, posing potential health risks. This review summarizes the substrate sources, reaction stages, influencing factors, impact on quality, and mitigation strategies of harmful products, aiming to provide a reference for regulating the Maillard reaction in flour product processing. Currently, most existing mitigation strategies focus on inhibiting harmful products, while research on the synergistic optimization of color and flavor remains insufficient. Future research should focus on elucidating the molecular mechanisms of reaction pathways, understanding multi-factor synergistic effects, and developing composite regulation technologies to balance the sensory quality and safety of flour products.

Keywords: Maillard reaction; flour products; mitigation strategies.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Carbonyl sources in flour product processing. (A) Reducing sugars; (B) lipid degradation pathways [44]; (C) o-quinone formation (using caffeic acid as an example). Note: The red color in the figure is used to highlight the carbonyl groups.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Formation of Maillard browning products, flavor substances, and harmful products [33]. The yellow, green, and gray bottom colors refer to the initial, intermediate, and final stages in the reaction, respectively. The violet, blue, and red fonts represent browning products, flavor substances, and harmful products, respectively.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Mitigation strategies for Maillard reaction harmful products in the processing of flour products.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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