Dihydroxyacetone (Browning and basting your skin)
17th July 2006
Dihydroxyacetone is a very, very simple sugar. It is produced by the splitting of hexoses (glucose and fructose) in glycolysis. Most people are interested in it, though, for its role in sunless tanners:
Many sugars, DHA included, can participate in a reaction called the Maillard reaction. In this reaction, sugars react with amino acids and proteins. This can result in brown pigments. DHA (sugar) reacts with skin proteins (amino acids/proteins), providing a rich brown pigment, if you’re lucky, or an orange pigment, if you’re not.
The same reaction responsible for sunless tanning results in meat browning (and flavor). Bizzare.
Night!