Studies on Browning Reactions between Sugars and Amino Compounds

N-d-Glucosyl-p-aminobenzoic acid has been found to form melanoidins in methanol solution acidified with hydrogen chloride at 25°. From the reaction mixture 5-hydroxymethyl-furfural (HMF) has been isolated and identified as its 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone. So, comparisons between the browning reaction of HMF or furfural with aromatic amine and that of the corresponding n-glycosides have been made under the same condition. From the results obtained, it has been shown that, under the described condition, furfural is almost inactive for browning, while on the contrary, HMF is active and plays an important role in the browning reaction.