Introduction: The process of bar creation involves improving the texture of the product to increase its palatability, which can be further induced by various physical or chemical changes during storage, such as sugar crystallization and molecular migrations in which Maillard's reaction occurs, forming the N-epsilon- (carboxymethyl) lysine (CML) adduct. In this study, we aimed to assess (the CML) adduct used in commercial bars today as meal substitutes or for athletic or sports purposes. The adduct CML is an advanced glycation end-product (AGEs) found in the human body (serum) and foods. It is the significant ligand for the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE), resulting in chronic inflammation upon CML activation. Additionally, it aimed to assess the amount of AGEs-CML in various energy bars available on the Italian market.
Method: CML OxiSelect ™ ELISA was used to assess the quantity of CML bars. The amount of AGE-CML was assessed in commercially available energy bars.
Results: According to the ELISA analysis, CML concentrations per g protein in all the tested energy bars varied from 138,42 to 1387,54 μg/gr per bar and from 461,41 to 3970,46 μg/gr per 100 gr of product, which depends on the quantity of protein.
Conclusion: The amount per gram of protein is relatively uniform (with a variation of about 10%), and when compared to other foods, it is positioned in a medium-low range.
Keywords: CML; AGE-CML; Energy bar; AGEs; Protein bar; Glycation..
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