Free alpha-dicarbonyl compounds in coffee, barley coffee and soy sauce and effects of in vitro digestion

alpha-dDicarbonyl (alpha-DC) compounds were characterised in roasted (coffee, barley coffee) and in fermented (soy sauce) food matrices. Glyoxal (GO), methylglyoxal (MGO), diacetyl (DA) and 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG) were found in all samples, and hydroxypyruvaldehyde and 5-hydroxypentane-2,3-dione in barley and soy. Cis and trans 3,4-dideoxyglucosone-3-ene (3,4-DGE) isomers and 4-glucosyl-5,6-dihydroxy-2-oxohexanal (4-G,3-DG) were found only in barley, and 3,4-DGE only in soy sauce with molasses. GO, MGO, and DA were quantified. Findings indicate that i) alpha-DC profiles depend on the food matrix and any technological treatments applied; ii) alpha-DC quantitation by HPLC requires matrix-specific, validated methods; iii) GO and MGO were the most abundant alpha-DCs; and iv) barley coffee was the matrix richest in alpha-DCs both qualitatively and quantitatively. In vitro simulated digestion reduced (coffee) or strongly increased (barley, soy sauce) free alpha-DC content. These findings suggest that alpha-DC bioavailability could actually depend not on food content but rather on reactions occurring during digestion