The Maillard reaction is responsible for many colors and flavors in foods, such as the
browning of various meats when seared or grilled, the browning and
umami taste in
fried onions and
coffee roasting. It contributes to the darkened crust of
baked goods, the golden-brown color of
French fries and other
crisps, browning of malted barley as found in
malt whiskey and beer, and the color and taste of
dried and
condensed milk,
dulce de leche,
black garlic,
chocolate,
toasted marshmallows, and
roasted peanuts.
6-Acetyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydropyridine is responsible for the biscuit or cracker-like flavor present in baked goods such as bread, popcorn, and tortilla products. The structurally related compound
2-acetyl-1-pyrroline has a similar smell and also occurs naturally without heating. The compound gives varieties of cooked rice and the herb
pandan (
Pandanus amaryllifolius) their typical smells. Both compounds have
odor thresholds below 0.06 nanograms per liter. . with contributions from other chemical reactions, including the breakdown of the tetrapyrrole rings of the muscle protein
myoglobin. Maillard reactions also occur in
dried fruit and when
champagne ages in the bottle.
Caramelization is an entirely different process from Maillard browning, though the results of the two processes are sometimes similar to the naked eye (and taste buds). Caramelization may sometimes cause browning in the same foods in which the Maillard reaction occurs, but the two processes are distinct. They are both promoted by heating, but the Maillard reaction involves amino acids, whereas caramelization is the
pyrolysis of certain sugars. In making
silage, excess heat causes the Maillard reaction to occur, which reduces the amount of energy and protein available to the animals that feed on it. In the production of animal feed the Maillard reaction can reduce feed quality by reducing the digestibility of amino acids. == Archaeology and paleontology ==