A study of the tyramine/glucose Maillard reaction: Variables, characterization, cytotoxicity and preliminary application

- Maillard reaction was developed for the reduction of tyramine in foods.
- Tyramine reduction rate was affected by various factors in Maillard reaction model.
- Tyramine/glucose MRPs showed lower cytotoxicity than tyramine.
- Tyramine concentration in soy sauce was lowered by Maillard reaction.
- Tyramine/glucose Maillard reaction is a promising tool to tyramine control.

The tyramine/glucose Maillard reaction was proposed as an emerging tool for tyramine reduction in a model system and two commercial soy sauce samples. The model system was composed of tyramine and glucose in buffer solutions with or without NaCl. The results showed that tyramine was reduced in the model system, and the reduction rate was affected by temperature, heating time, initial pH value, NaCl concentration, initial glucose concentration and initial tyramine concentration. Changes in fluorescence intensity and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) absorption spectra showed three stages of the Maillard reaction between tyramine and glucose. Cytotoxicity assay demonstrated that tyramine/glucose Maillard reaction products (MRPs) were significantly less toxic than that of tyramine (p < 0.05). Moreover, tyramine concentration in soy sauce samples was significantly reduced when heated with the addition of glucose (p < 0.05). Experimental results showed that the tyramine/glucose Maillard reaction is a promising method for tyramine reduction in foods.