What is caramelization give the importance of this process?

Hi, I had trouble with this too. I hope the following Information helps.

Caramelisation is a complex, poorly understood process that produces hundreds of chemicals. Here is an overview: # # equilibration of anomeric and ring forms # sucrose inversion to fructose and glucose # condensation # intramolecular bonding # isomerization of aldoses to ketoses # dehydration reactions # fragmentation reactions # unsaturated polymer formationCaramelisation should not be confused with the Maillard reaction, in which a reducing sugar reacts with amino acids.

Eryn