Shelf-life of fresh noodles as affected by chitosan and its Maillard reaction products

The effects of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) prepared from chitosan and xylose on the shelf-life of fresh noodles were studied. A model system consisting of chitosan and xylose (1:1.5, w/w) dispersed in distilled water with pH values of 5, 6, 7, 9 was used. The systems were heated to 95 °C for up to 60 h. The development of brown color was more pronounced in the model system with a higher initial pH of the water. The antibacterial activity of chitosan increased at the beginning of the Maillard reaction, and the minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of chitosan against Bacillus subtilis CCRC 10258 decreased to 50 μg/ml of medium from 250 μg as a result of the Maillard reaction. Gram-positive bacteria were more sensitive to chitosan or its MRPs than Gram-negative bacteria. MRP of chitosan/xylose showed a bactericidal effect against Bacillus subtilis CCRC 10258, while chitosan showed a bacteriostatic effect prior to the occurrence of the Maillard reaction. Addition of 0.05 g/100 ml chitosan (in 0.5 ml/100 ml acetic acid) to fresh noodle formulation resulted in an extension of its shelf-life for 6 more days when stored at 4 °C. However, addition of MRP resulted in the longer shelf-life lasting 14 days when stored at 4 °C.