The Maillard reaction (MR) supervises the final quality of foods and the study of the underneath reaction mechanisms provides a detailed overview of the thermal impact. The monitoring of Maillard reaction products formation (MRPs) is one of the most challenging procedures in Analytical Chemistry since their detection is highly influenced by the polarity of the compounds, the high reactivity, the complexity of the matrix, and the continuous changes in the reaction mixture. The accurate setup of the analytical methods for the MRPs quantification defines several opportunities for the monitoring of food quality. The MR can be divided into three stages: activation stage, intermediate stage and advanced stage; each of them contributes to the final quality of foods. The analysis of free amino acids and free Amadori compounds by high resolution mass spectrometry provides useful information on the initial stages and the final direction of the reaction can be depicted by monitoring the ratio between free Amadori compounds and free amino acids. Beside the monitoring of the first stages of the MR, the analysis of bound MRPs, furosine, CML, CEL and total lysine by stable isotope dilution assay tandem mass spectrometry offers a snapshot of the glycation on proteins and the loss in the nutritional values of foods. According to the advanced staged, the quantification of acrylamide by high resolution mass spectrometry highlights two novel insights: on one hand the use of some contaminants for the continuous recalibration of the instrument as a tool to reduce the mass error up to 1 ppm also with small amides; on the other hand the possibility to rule out the solid phase extraction for acrylamide detection. Finally, the “FancyTiles” approach reveals the possibility to combine the signals of different MRPs in order to obtain a colorimetric scale typical for a defined process and thermal treatment. These preliminary findings highlights the possibility to create a direct link between MR, chemometric and food quality
