Evaluation of the potential role of skin contact and transfer in the Maillard hypothesis of image formation on the Shroud of Turin

Abstract

The mechanism for creation of the faint ventral and dorsal images of a man on the Shroud of Turin is unknown. It has been suggested that image formation involves oxidation and dehydration of the cellulose present in the linen, or, alternatively, that a superficial residue on the surface of the cloth is responsible for creating colored products through the Maillard reaction. One of the major criticisms of the latter hypothesis is that gaseous diffusion is not sufficient to result in the detailed bodily structures present on the cloth. Recently, it was proposed that additional substrates might also participate in the Maillard reaction, specifically proteins and amino acids present in skin, helping to increase the detail of any image produced. Understanding more fully the properties of the Shroud image is important for the preservation of this cloth for future generations. In the current report the potential contribution of skin proteins and amino acids in the Maillard hypothesis of image formation was evaluated. Using a variety of systems, these data show that detailed imaging of skin imprints may be obtained through contact transfer and interaction with reducing sugars. These results importantly extend the scope of this hypothesis and provide additional, relevant information concerning possible mechanisms for the formation of the Shroud of Turin image.