Impact of high-intensity ultrasound on the formation of lactulose and Maillard reaction glycoconjugates

The impact of high-intensity ultrasound (US) on the formation of lactulose during lactose isomerization and on the obtention of lysine-glucose glycoconjugates during Maillard reaction (MR) has been studied, respectively, in basic and neutral media. As compared to equivalent conventional heat treatments, a higher formation of furosine, as indicator of initial steps of MR, was observed together with more advance of the reaction in US treated samples, this effect being more pronounced with the increase of US amplitude (50–70%) and temperature (25–40 °C). Regarding the influence of US on lactulose formation, in general, in a buffered system (pH 10.0), US at 70% of amplitude and 60 °C increased the rate of lactose isomerization, higher values of lactulose, epilactose and galactose being observed in comparison to conventional heating. The results of this work showed an acceleration of both reactions by US, indicating its usefulness to promote the formation of functional ingredients.