Glycation unveiled: Unravelling influencing factors of protein glycation in different varieties of infant formulas

Summary

Thermal processing is essential to ensure the safety of infant formula products. However, it also triggers the reaction between components, resulting in the formation of undesirable compounds such as dietary advanced glycation end-products (dAGEs).

This PhD research aimed to investigate the presence and mitigation strategies of dAGEs in infant formulas, with the goal of gaining insights into the factors that influence dAGEs formation. According to our findings, protein hydrolysis degree, protein source (milk protein vs. plant protein), and storage temperature of infant formula have the greatest influence on the extent of protein glycation. The mitigation of dAGEs in infant formula can be achieved by the addition of antioxidant.