Kinetics of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) formation and colour change in date fruit fillings stored at different temperatures

Date fruit filling is a healthy alternative for the food sector due to its beneficial compounds, dietary fibre, minerals and vitamins. It is also widely used in the baking industry as a filling in pastries and biscuits as a sweetener. In the present study, the stability of date fruit filling, as a function of storage time and temperature, was determined. 5-HMF generation and colour changes were monitored at 25, 35 and 45 °C. Results showed that 5-HMF formation increased linearly with an increase in storage time and temperature and followed a zero-order reaction. L* and hue values decreased linearly and also followed a zero-order reaction. In addition, 5-HMF had a negative correlation with L* (r = 0.832–0.863, p