Coordinate Contribution of Lipid Oxidation and Maillard Reaction to the Nonenzymatic Food Browning

Lipid oxidation and the Maillard reaction are probably the two most important reactions in Food Science. Both include a whole network of different reactions in which an extraordinary complex mixture of compounds are obtained in very different amounts and produce important changes in food flavor, color, texture, and nutritional value, with positive and negative consequences. This article analyzes the interactions between both reactions, with special emphasis in nonenzymatic browning development, by discussing the influence of lipid oxidation products in the Maillard pathway and vice versa, as well as the existence of common intermediates and polymerization mechanisms in both reactions. The existing data suggest that both reactions are so interrelated that they should be considered simultaneously to understand the products of the Maillard reaction in the presence of lipids and vice versa, and should be included in one general pathway that can be initiated by both lipids and carbohydrates.