Skip to main content
PMC home page
Food Science and Biotechnology logoLink to Food Science and Biotechnology
. 2016 Feb 29;25(1):97–104. doi: 10.1007/s10068-016-0014-x

Effects of reaction parameters on self-degradation of L-ascorbic acid and self-degradation kinetics

Ya Li 1, Yan Yang 1,✉, Ai-Nong Yu 1, Kui Wang 1
PMCID: PMC6049385  PMID: 30263242

Abstract

The degradation behavior of L-ascorbic acid (ASA) was investigated under different parameters of temperature, time, and pH. Higher temperatures and longer times accelerated the ASA degradation. Degradation product distributions changed with different pH values. As solution pH of 4.5 was beneficial for formation of uncolored intermediate products with an absorbance maximum at 294 nm. Formation of brown products was promoted at pH values from 5.8 to 6.8 with an absorbance maximum at 420 nm. Under different pH conditions, volatile products formation varied. Furfural and derivatives of furan were primary products due to the effects of pH. The non-enzymatic selfdegradation behavior of ASA was characteristic of first-order kinetics based on a classic dynamic model. Activation energy values varied under different pH values. An ASA degradation mechanism and pathway are proposed.

Keywords: L-ascorbic acid, self-degradation, dynamic

References

  • 1.Burdurlu HS, Koca N, Karadeniz F. Degradation of vitamin C in citrus juice concentrates during storage. J. Food Eng. 2006;74:211–216. doi: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2005.03.026. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 2.Marfil PHM, Santos EM, Telis VRN. Ascorbic acid degradation kinetics in tomatoes at different drying conditions. LWT-Food Sci. Technol. 2008;41:1642–1647. doi: 10.1016/j.lwt.2007.11.003. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 3.Yuan JP, Chen F. Degradation of ascorbic acid in aqueous solution. J. Agr. Food Chem. 1998;46:5078–5082. doi: 10.1021/jf9805404. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 4.Yu AN, Tan ZW, Wang FS. Mechanism of formation of sulphur aroma compounds from L-ascorbic acid and L-cysteine during the Maillard reaction. Food Chem. 2012;132:1316–1323. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.11.111. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 5.Yu AN, Tan ZW, Wang FS. Mechanistic studies on the formation of pyrazines by Maillard reaction between L-ascorbic acid and L-glutamic acid. LWT-Food Sci. Technol. 2013;50:64–71. doi: 10.1016/j.lwt.2012.07.001. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 6.Sonali SB, Sandip BB. Non-enzymatic browning in citrus juice: Chemical markers, their detection and ways to improve product quality. J. Food Sci. Tech.-Mys. 2014;51:2271–2288. doi: 10.1007/s13197-012-0718-8. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 7.Huelin FE. Studies on the anaerobic decomposition of ascorbic acid. J. Food Sci. 1953;18:633–639. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1953.tb17760.x. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 8.Nius D, Wiqle M, Kelly PM, Kipp BH, Schlegel B. Mechanism of ascorbic acid oxidation by cytochrome b561. Biochemistry-U. 2001;40:11905–119011. doi: 10.1021/bi010403r. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 9.Robertson GL, Samaniego CML. Effect of initial dissolved oxygen levels on the degradation of ascorbic acid and the browning of lemon juice during storage. J. Food Sci. 1986;51:184–187. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1986.tb10866.x. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 10.Fellers PJ, Carter RD, Dejager G. Influence of the ratio of degrees brix to percent acid on consumer acceptance of processed modified grapefruit juice. J. Food Sci. 1988;53:513–515. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1988.tb07744.x. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 11.Gordonl R, Christine SE. Effect of soluble solids and temperature on ascorbic acid degradation in lemon juice stored in glass bottles. J. Food Qualit. 1990;13:361–374. doi: 10.1111/j.1745-4557.1990.tb00032.x. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 12.Sapei L, Hwa L. Study on the kinetics of vitamin C degradation in fresh strawberry juice. Procedia Chem. 2014;9:62–68. doi: 10.1016/j.proche.2014.05.008. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 13.Gabriel AA, Cayabyab JEC, Tan AKL, Corook MLF, Ables EJO, Tiangson-Bayaga CLP. Development and validation of a predictive model for the influences of selected product and process variables on ascorbic acid degradation in simulated fruit juice. Food Chem. 2015;177:295–303. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.01.049. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 14.Tiwari BK, Donnell CPO, Muthukumarappan K, Cullen PJ. Ascorbic acid degradation kinetics of sonicated orange juice during storage and comparison with thermally pasteurized juice. LWT-Food Sci. Technol. 2009;42:700–704. doi: 10.1016/j.lwt.2008.10.009. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 15.Uddin MS, Hawlader MNA, Luo D, Mujumdar AS. Degradation of ascorbic acid in dried guava during storage. J. Food Eng. 2002;51:21–26. doi: 10.1016/S0260-8774(01)00031-0. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 16.Montano A, Casado FJ, Rejano L, Sanchez AH, de Castro A. Degradation kinetics of the antioxidant additive ascorbic acid in packed table olives during storage at different temperatures. J. Agr. Food Chem. 2006;54:2206–2210. doi: 10.1021/jf058159o. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 17.Hsu HY, Tsai YC, Fu CC, Wu JSB. Degradation of ascorbic acid in ethanolic solutions. J. Agr. Food Chem. 2012;60:10696–10701. doi: 10.1021/jf3032342. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 18.Grudiæ VV, Blagojeviæ NZ, Brašanac SR. Kinetics of degradation of ascorbic acid by cyclic voltammetry method. Chem. Ind. Chem. Eng. Q. 2015;21:351–357. doi: 10.2298/CICEQ140712037G. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 19.Yu AN, Zhang AD. The effect of pH on the formation of aroma compounds produced by heating a model system containing L-ascorbic acid with Lthreonine/L-serine. Food Chem. 2010;119:214–219. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.06.026. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 20.Yu AN, Tan ZW, Shi BA. Influence of the pH on the formation of pyrazine compounds by the Maillard reaction of L-ascorbic acid with acidic, basic and neutral amino acids. Asia-Pac. J. Chem. Eng. 2012;7:445–462. doi: 10.1002/apj.594. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 21.Tang LP, Zhou YY, Yu AN. Comparison of UV spectrophotometry and HPLC in determination of ascorbic acid in Maillard reaction. Sci. Tech. Food Ind. (China). 2014;10:79–82. [Google Scholar]
  • 22.Zhou Y L Y, Yu AN. Optimum extraction conditions for pyrazine compounds from Maillard reaction mixture by headspace solid-phase microextraction. Food Sci. (China) 2015;36:119–123. [Google Scholar]
  • 23.Yu X, Zhao M, Hu J, Zeng ST, Bai XL. Correspondence analysis of antioxidant activity and UV–Vis absorbance of Maillard reaction products as related to reactants. LWT-Food Sci. Technol. 2012;46:1–9. doi: 10.1016/j.lwt.2011.11.010. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 24.Barbanti D, Mastrocola D, Lerici CR. Early indicators of chemical changes in foods due to enzymic or non enzymic browning reactions. III. Colour change in heat-treated model systems [J] Food Sci. Tech. 1990;23:494–498. [Google Scholar]
  • 25.Billaud C, Brun S, Louarme L. Effect of glutathione and Maillard reaction products prepared from glucose or fructose with glutathione on polyphenoloxidase from apple-I: Enzymatic browning and enzyme activity inhibition. Food Chem. 2004;84:223–233. doi: 10.1016/S0308-8146(03)00206-1. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 26.Martins SIFS, Boekel MAJSV. Kinetics of the glucose/glycine Maillard reaction pathways: Influences of pH and reactant initial concentrations. Food Chem. 2005;92:437–448. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.08.013. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 27.Martins SIFS, Boekel MAJSV. A kinetic model for the glucose/glycine Maillard reaction pathways. Food Chem. 2005;90:257–269. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.04.006. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 28.Baisier WM, Labuza TP. Maillard browning kinetics in a liquid model system. J. Agr. Food Chem. 1992;40:707–713. doi: 10.1021/jf00017a001. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 29.Marshall WL, Frank EU. Ion product of water substances, 0-1000, 1-10,000 bars, new international formulation and its background. J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Dat. 1981;10:295–304. doi: 10.1063/1.555643. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 30.Xie MY. Chemical Industry Press. 2011. Food Chemistry; pp. 200–215. [Google Scholar]
  • 31.Mareen SMAG. Maillard degradation pathways of vitamin C. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2013;125:1–6. doi: 10.1002/ange.201209858. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 32.Rizzi GP. Role of phosphate and carboxylate ions in mallard browning. J. Agr. Food Chem. 2004;52:953–957. doi: 10.1021/jf030691t. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  • 33.Benjakul S, Lertittikul W, Bauer F. Antioxidant activity of Maillard reaction products from a porcine plasma protein–sugar model system. Food Chem. 2005;93:189–196. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2004.10.019. [DOI] [Google Scholar]
  • 34.Wu S, Qin J. Study on the mechanism of Maillard reaction. J. Guizhou Univ. Technol. (Natural Science) 2005;34:17–20. [Google Scholar]
  • 35.Bree IV, Baetens JM, Samapundo S, Devlieghere F, Laleman R. Modelling the degradation kinetics of vitamin C in fruit juice in relation to the initial headspace oxygen concentration. Food Chem. 2012;134:207–214. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2012.02.096. [DOI] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Food Science and Biotechnology are provided here courtesy of Springer

RESOURCES