Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42511279›Full record

ArticleFoods (Basel, Switzerland)2026

The Effects of Multiple Maillard Reaction Products in Infant Formula on Host Immunity and Neurotoxicity.

Qiaosi Wei, Lili Jia, Xiangxin Wang, Shubo Luo, Dongying Cui, Jufang Li, Qinggang Xie, Yajun Xu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Foods (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Qiaosi WeiDepartment of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Peking University, No. 38 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China.ORCID 0009-0000-9433-8720
Lili JiaPKUHSC-China Feihe Joint Research Institute of Nutrition and Healthy Lifespan Development, Xueyuan Road 38, Haidian, Beijing 100083, China.
Xiangxin WangPKUHSC-China Feihe Joint Research Institute of Nutrition and Healthy Lifespan Development, Xueyuan Road 38, Haidian, Beijing 100083, China.ORCID 0009-0006-3513-8415
Shubo LuoPKUHSC-China Feihe Joint Research Institute of Nutrition and Healthy Lifespan Development, Xueyuan Road 38, Haidian, Beijing 100083, China.
Dongying CuiPKUHSC-China Feihe Joint Research Institute of Nutrition and Healthy Lifespan Development, Xueyuan Road 38, Haidian, Beijing 100083, China.
Jufang LiPKUHSC-China Feihe Joint Research Institute of Nutrition and Healthy Lifespan Development, Xueyuan Road 38, Haidian, Beijing 100083, China.
Qinggang XiePKUHSC-China Feihe Joint Research Institute of Nutrition and Healthy Lifespan Development, Xueyuan Road 38, Haidian, Beijing 100083, China.
Yajun XuDepartment of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Peking University, No. 38 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China.ORCID 0000-0001-5791-4629

Funding

the National Key Research and Development Program of China 2023YFE0114200
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Various Maillard reaction products (MRPs) are formed in infant formula during thermal processing and storage. However, safety assessments are often based on individual compounds, which may not adequately reflect the potential risks associated with exposure to multiple coexisting components in real food products. Therefore, this study used GC-MS to screen for typical MRPs in infant formula. Based on the detection results, glyoxal, 2-acetylfuran, 2-furfural, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) were selected to establish a mixed-exposure system. Subsequently, using zebrafish as a model, we systematically evaluated the toxic effects of two mixture concentrations, 1/9 maximum non-lethal concentration (MNLC) and 1/3 MNLC, on the immune system, nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, and liver. The results showed that these four MRPs coexisted in infant formula and that combined exposure induced significant biological damage even at low doses. Both mixture concentrations significantly reduced neutrophil and macrophage levels and promoted apoptosis in central nervous system cells. The higher-concentration mixture further reduced T-cell counts, suppressed motor neuron development, and decreased locomotor activity during the light phase. In addition, the higher-concentration mixture decreased the gastrointestinal area, increased the liver area, delayed yolk sac absorption, and caused marked histopathological damage. Compared with single-compound exposure, combined exposure exerted more pronounced effects on immune- and neuro-related endpoints, suggesting synergistic interactions among different MRPs and identifying the immune and nervous systems as the more sensitive targets of toxicity. In summary, mixed exposure to typical MRPs in infant formula may pose a greater biological risk than that predicted by evaluations based on individual components alone. This study provides experimental evidence for identifying combined toxicity and improving the safety risk assessment of MRPs in thermally processed infant foods.

Indexed as

immunotoxicityinfant formulaMaillard reaction productsneurotoxicityzebrafish

Identifiers

PMID42511279
PMCPMC13409389

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.