Addition of water-soluble sulfur-containing compounds, thio compounds or potential thio compounds, to a mixture of carbohydrates, and either proteins, peptides, or amino acids can retard or completely eliminate the browning process. Determining factor is dependent upon the concentration of the anti-browning agent in the aqueous media

Rosenthal, N. A.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

September 1969	 Brief 69-10493 
NASA TECH BRIEF 
NASA Tech Briefs are issued to summarize specific innovations derived from the U.S. space program, 
to encourage their commercial application. Copies are available to the public at 15 cents each 
from the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Virginia 22151. 
Inhibition of Browning in Foodstuffs 
fl
The problem: 
During the preparation or subsequent storage of 
food, a chemical phenomenon of nonenzymatic brown-
ing or so-called "Maillard Reaction" takes place. 
While acceptable in some instances, as in bread 
crusts, maple syrup, and coffee, in many instances, 
this browning results in products that are "off flavor", 
"off odor", and "off color" and suffer reduced 
nutritional value. Typical are desiccated egg, spray 
dried milk powder, dehydrated fruits, fruit juice con-
centrates, and starch and protein hydrolyzates. Previ-
ous attempts to inhibit this browning by refrigeration, 
chemical additives, or the enzymatic removal of sugar 
have proven ineffective in most instances. 
The solution: 
It has been found that the addition to a mixture of 
carbohydrates, and either proteins, peptides, or amino 
acids of water-soluble sulfur-containing compounds 
of two general types (sometimes referred to as "anti-
browning agents"), i.e., thio compounds or potential 
thio compounds, can retard or completely eliminate 
the browning process. The determining factor between 
inhibition and elimination is solely dependent upon 
the concentration of the anti-browning agent present 
in the aqueous media. 
These anti-browning agents are able to inhibit or 
eliminate the physical appearance of browning or 
darkening in solid mixtures, in gels, or in solutions 
of carbohydrates, particularly in reducing sugars of 
the aldose type in the presence of proteins, peptides, 
or amino acids, such as are found in fish, meat, cereal, 
vegetable, and other processed foods, alone or in 
combination, following storage at ambient or even at 
somewhat elevated temperatures, such as those of 
approximately 55 0C. Such anti-browning agents all 
contain sulfur and are largely restricted to those
water-soluble compounds which are derived or capa-
ble of being derived from naturally occurring materials 
which themselves are foods. For use in food products, 
liquid diets, and the like, the anti-browning agents 
must be physiologically acceptable materials. 
The water-soluble, sulfur-containing, anti-browning 
agents contemplated are of two general types, i.e., 
thio compounds or potential thio compounds. The 
thio compounds include glutathione (reduced), 
homocysteine, N -acetyl homocysteine • HCI, cysteine, 
cysteine ethyl ester hydrochloride, and N-acetyl 
cysteine • HCI. Potential thio compounds include 
homocysteine thiolactone and thiazolidine-4-car-
boxylic acid, and those sulfur-containing compounds 
which in hydrolysis with water, are capable of yielding 
thio compounds. 
Note: 
No further documentation is available. Technical 
inquiries may be directed to: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Headquarters	 0 
National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration 
Washington, D.C. 20546 
Reference: B69-10493 
Patent status: 
Title to this invention has been waived under the 
provisions of the National Aeronautics and Space Act 
[42 U.S.C. 2457 (f)], to Schwarz Bioresearch, Inc., 
Mountain View Avenue, Orangeburg, New York. 
Source: Norman A. Rosenthal of 
Schwarz Bioresearch, Inc. 
under contract to 
NASA Headquarters 
(HQN-10177) 
Category 04 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
will be free from privately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19690000474 2020-03-16T18:02:34+00:00Z


Inhibition of browning in foodstuffs

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