Pat Stephens wrote:

> At 05:43 AM 4/10/97 -0700, you wrote:
> >Ellie Rotunno wrote:

> >> > Heat or sun merely speed up the reaction, so that a temp. of 105F isn't a
> >> > point at which Mallaird's molecules suddenly form.

> Hi, Ellie,

> I got out my long board today and searched for Maillard's molecules all over
> the cyberworld, and all I got was wet.It was either too high over my head,
> or too brief to illuminate. What I gather is that this is a reaction between
> sugars and amino acids, that food chemists are salivating to figure out to
> make them in tasty forms for to sell the food, ya know, and that actually
> they are not so great to have in our gullet. (Tho some are maybe actually
> anticarcinogenic!) And that they are involved in the diabetic debacle.The
> amines are altered by cooking and combining , apparently, so they perhaps,
> like estrogenics, do not hook up properly with partners for the dance of life?

> I would appreciate some more digestible info, when you have the time?

Pat, sounds like you know more about Maillard's molecules than I do,
which is only what I read in Burger's book. Hope others can provide more
about this. I just suspect they exist somewhat in most foods, regardless
of the temp.

> I am having the same puzzlement here, and hope there will be a more posts on
> this. I conjecture that the same principles apply throughout
> nutrition---that we evolved to use
> certain molecules in certain ways, that some are quite specific, and reject
> copycats, that others can bond but do not yield the desired result. That's
> probably too simplified, but does seem reasonable, sort of the same as
> hormone reactions.
>
> I'd really like to hear more of your work, Ellie, another reasonable and
> fascinating
> concept.

Pat,I agree with you. IMO abnormal molecules that reach receptors clog up
receptors and interfere with the action of endogenous hormones, but do
not have excitatory action on their own. This is based on my new
understanding of the nervous system and neurotransmitters. I have no
proof that it applies to all hormones, but since the body generally uses
successful physiological mechanisms throuhout, I suspect it does.

Ellie