Effects of pressure on the glucose–ammonium sulphite caramel solutions

Effects of pressure on glucose–ammonium sulphite solutions were investigated. The reactant (i.e. glucose), intermediate products content, and browning intensity of advanced stages were tested using an UV–Vis spectrophotometer and a high performance liquid chromatograph to gain a better understanding of the influence of pressure on the glucose–ammonium model Maillard reaction system. This study indicates that pressure could promote the first step of the reaction, i.e. condensation reaction between SO 3 2 - /ammonium and glucose, but inhibit the increase of A294, A420 and 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde content. The mechanism of inhibiting the glucose–ammonium model Maillard reaction might be that pressure increases dissociative SO 3 2 - content in solutions and inhibits the degradation of the Amadori rearrangement product.