Vojtech Ilko – MASO-INTERNATIONAL

Monosodium glutamate – do we have anything to fear?

Authors: Zdeňka Panovská and Vojtech Ilko
Keywords: additive, glutamic acid, salts of glutamic acid, umami

Glutamic acid was discovered in 1866 and its taste properties and those of its salts were described in 1907. Its salts soon began to be used as food flavourings as they are characterised by a unique taste different from sweet, salty, sour and bitter. Their flavour has been described by the Japanese word umami which … [Read more…]

The origin of 3-MCPD esters and glycidyl esters in meat products

Authors: Vojtech Ilko and Marek Doležal
Keywords: 3-MCPD esters, GC/MS, bacon, glycidyl esters

Undesirable compounds such as trans-unsaturated fatty acids, cyclic fatty acids and polymers of acylglycerols can be formed during the heat stress of lipids. It has recently been discovered that chlorination of acylglycerols also takes places with the formation of the processing contaminants, i.e. of chloropropanol esters. In 2001, the European Commission’s Scientific Committee for Food … [Read more…]