Maillard reaction was named after the French chemist Louis-Camille Maillard, who originally described the reaction between amino acids and sugars in 1912.

The chemical reaction which occurs between reducing sugars and principally free amino acids and peptides (usually from proteins) in the presence of heat that results in the browning of food while forming its distinctive flavor and aromas.

Why does it make everything taste delicious?

A guide to the Maillard Reaction

Further Reading on Maillard Reaction

Articles:

Compound Interest – Food Chemistry – The Maillard Reaction

Warwick University: Chemistry of Maillard Reaction

University of Bristol – School of Chemistry – The Maillard Reaction

Research:

Formation of flavour compounds in the Maillard reaction

Food chemistry: Acrylamide from Maillard reaction products

Analysis of Acrylamide, a Carcinogen Formed in Heated Foodstuffs

Food Processing and Maillard Reaction Products: Effect on Human Health and Nutrition

Effect of Emerging Processing Technologies on Maillard Reactions

Milk Production and Processing – Improving UHT processing and UHT milk products

Numerous research papers on Maillard reaction – The Maillard reaction is defined as “an array of non-enzymatic chemical reactions between carbonyl (primarily carbohydrates) and amino compounds of biological origin”.