The glycation database: from the Maillard reaction in foods to biomolecular insight

The Glycation Database provides the most comprehensive electronic database for non-enzymatic glycation compounds content in foods and beverages, with an emphasis on Amadori and Heyns compounds, dietary advanced glycation end-products (d-AGEs) and volatile compounds. The database comprises more than 8000 content values for 50 different compounds in over 3000 foods. The data are derived from the systematic collection of content values found in approximately 150 scientific publications based on quantification of analytically distinct molecules though liquid and gas chromatography mass spectrometry and other techniques, including UV, fluorescence and NMR. The database combines the intrinsic chemical nature of glycation compounds with their concentration in foods providing an outlook on the effects in vivo.

Glycation compounds are divided into free and protein bound markers. The structure of the database allows queries on foods, molecules and a combination of both entries in advanced queries. The ability to download molecule lists and analytical information based on chromatographic separation and detection becomes a tool in method development aimed at the harmonization of the analytical techniques available in the scientific community. This chemistry-oriented database is helpful in targeted metabolomic studies focused on the definition of glycation markers through data-driven selection of optimum biomarker combinations. Using functions and formulas, users can also sort results as desired and calculate stats and specific descriptive statistics based on the contents per class and subclass.