Impact of high-temperature household electric ovens on quality attributes and heat-related byproducts content of homemade pizzas

Traditional Italian pizza is usually baked in wood-fired or electric ovens at high temperature (> 450ºC) for a short time. However, with the new home-cooking appliances available nowadays, it is possible to replicate such baking conditions at home. These conditions favour some chemical pathways, like the Maillard reaction, largely responsible for food attractive sensory qualities such as aroma, taste, and colour. However, high temperature treatments can lead to the formation of undesired compounds like 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and acrylamide. This study aims to evaluate quality attributes, such as cooking weight loss and colour development, and heat-related by-products (Maillard Reaction Products, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural and acrylamide) of pizza baked at high temperature (310◦C and 450◦C) for increasing baking times in new household cooking appliances. Results are compared to the ones of pizza conventionally home-baked (~250◦C). The collected data provide evidence that it is possible to cook pizza at 450◦C using newly developed high-temperature home appliances, achieving quality attributes comparable to those of traditional pizzeria baking; very low levels of heat-induced harmful products are formed, provided that baking time is carefully controlled.