Abstract/Summary

Thermal processing is the major source of aroma for all cooked foods. Aroma can be derived from amino acids and sugars via the Maillard reaction, from lipid oxidation, or from the thermal breakdown of other components of the food such as ascorbic acid, thiamine, ferulic acid and carotenoids. These pathways are interrelated, and are reviewed in turn, with the emphasis on the Maillard reaction, considering it also as a source of taste compounds and antioxidants, as well as potentially harmful products. Strategies to optimise the desirable flavour attributes whilst minimising undesirable aspects are discussed and the role of the Maillard reaction in the development of process flavours for the snack industry, and their legal status under recent EU regulations, is deliberated.