In essence, it states that a reducing sugar, such as glucose, condenses with a compound possessing a free amino group, such as an amino acid, to give a condensation product. Subsequently, a range of reactions takes place, including cyclisations, dehydrations, retroaldolisations, rearrangements, isomerisations and further condensations, which ultimately lead to the formation of brown nitrogenous polymers and co-polymers, known as melanoidins.