# Mechanistic Insights into Nano-Maillard Reaction Products Regulating the Quality of Dried Abalones

## TL;DR

This paper explores how Maillard reaction products improve the quality and rehydration of dried abalone through osmotic effects.

## Contribution

The study provides mechanistic insights into nano-Maillard reaction products as effective food additives for dried seafood.

## Key findings

- MRPs enhance moisture migration and physicochemical properties of dehydrated abalone.
- MRPs show osmotic effects during abalone processing and have high osmotic efficiency.
- MRPs could replace traditional penetrating agents in food processing.

## Abstract

Broth cooking is a traditional pretreatment and ripening strategy for high-commercial-value dehydrated marine food, effectively enhancing its texture and rehydration properties. In this work, we characterized the structural information of Maillard reaction products (MRPs) derived from beef scrap stock and investigated their effects on the texture and rehydration performance of dehydrated abalone. The optical and structural properties of the MRPs were analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and fluorescence spectroscopy. These MRPs showed osmosis in abalone processing including pretreatment and drying. Low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) results revealed that MRP pretreatment improved the moisture migration and physicochemical properties of dehydrated abalone. These findings suggest that MRPs, owing to their high osmotic efficiency and nanoscale size, could serve as promising food additives and potential alternatives to traditional penetrating agents in the food industry, enhancing the rehydration performance of dried seafood and reducing quality deterioration.