When you are roasting, knowledge about the ‘Maillard reaction’ is necessary. We explain the term and function to you. This way you know what the experts meanwhile roasting.
Maillard reaction
The Maillard reaction is a series of chemical reactions that have an important role in developing the characteristic flavors of your coffee and the brown color of roasted coffee.
Distinctive color and flavor
This reaction does not only occur with coffee, it is also responsible for the brown color in toast, meat, and chocolate. In short, the reaction means the natural sugars and amino acids within the coffee beans start to react and create a distinctive color and flavor characteristic to the coffee bean. Naturally, the roast starts to slow down after the reaction.
Louis Camille Maillard
The French Louis Camille Maillard was a chemist and physician. He contributed to the study of kidney disorders. Later, Maillard studied food products. He became known for the chemical reaction, called after him. He was alive from 4 February 1878, until 12 May 1936.
Want to learn more terms that are important for coffee roasting the right way? Read about the Rate of Rise. You can find it here: Rate of Rise explained.