ABSTRACT
The formation of toxic compounds from proteins during cooking, industrial processing, and storage is mostly accompanied by a decrease of nutritional quality of the proteins. It usually leads to a decrease in digestibility of the proteins and, furthermore, to a decrease or even loss of availability of some reaction products of the amino acids. Antinutritional and toxic compounds from proteins are formed during processing of proteins by reactions with other components of foodstuffs, for example carbohydrates, lipids or polyphenols. These compounds arise from various physical factors and chemical reactions. The formation of toxic compounds from proteins during cooking, industrial processing, and storage is mostly accompanied by a decrease of nutritional quality of the proteins. The toxic potential of these early Maillard reaction products is not clearly evident since it is difficult to discriminate the actual toxic effects from those due to dietary inadequacy resulting from the nutrient losses or blockage.
