{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,23]],"date-time":"2026-10-23T19:11:13Z","timestamp":1792782673193,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]],"date-time":"2026-07-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785456000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]],"date-time":"2026-07-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785456000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"funder":[{"name":"Universit\u00e4tsklinikum D\u00fcsseldorf. Anstalt \u00f6ffentlichen Rechts","id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/006k2kk72","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Int J Legal Med"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    Around the 12th\/thirteenth century, a burial method called \u201c\n                    <jats:italic>more teutonico<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u201d was used for the remains of high-ranking individuals who had died far from their homeland and had to be brought back for burial. Before transportation, the bodies or body parts were boiled (macerated) to remove all soft tissue. The question of whether a body was boiled postmortem, is of particular interest for historians (burial \u201c\n                    <jats:italic>more teutonico\u201d<\/jats:italic>\n                    ?) and this question may also be relevant in a forensic context, even if only in rare cases. In 1989, Bada, Herrmann, Payan and Man (\u201cAmino acid razemization in bone and the boiling of Emperor Lothar I.\u201d in Applied Geochemistry) suggested using the D-aspartic acid content of bone as an objective indicator of a postmortem exposure to heat. This approach was never substantiated by further studies, and more recent findings call the concept into question.\n                  <\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    Therefore, we tested the \u201cBada approach\u201d by analysing the D-aspartic acid content in boiled bone samples (pig, human) using different \u201cboiling recipes\u201d of procedures \u201c\n                    <jats:italic>more teutonico<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u201d (using water, wine, or vinegar as boiling media), and discussed it under consideration of the recent literature. Using the boiled human bone samples, we also investigated whether the question of \u201cboiled or not boiled?\u201d could be answered by another parameter, namely by analysing the pentosidine content of a sample.\n                  <\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>An accumulation of D-aspartic acid was observed during boiling in both pig and human bone samples. It was considerably lower in the human samples and significantly influenced by the medium used. By contrast, boiling did not result in pentosidine accumulation.<\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:p>\n                    These experimental results call into question the reliability of the \u201cBada approach\u201d \u2013 not least because the type of boiling medium may not be recreated in each individual case. Moreover, this approach does not take the current knowledge on the intravital accumulation of D-aspartic acid in bone samples of different origins into account, nor the influence of postmortem conditions on the D-aspartic acid content in non-heated samples (used as controls by Bada et al.). Overall, the approach of Bada et al. should not be accepted uncritically, as proving a treatment \u201c\n                    <jats:italic>more teutonico<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u201d based solely on the D-aspartic acid content seems hardly possible \u2013 and if so, only under very strict conditions. The analysis of pentosidine is not suitable for demonstrating a burial \u201c\n                    <jats:italic>more teutonico\u201d<\/jats:italic>\n                    .\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1007\/s00414-026-03928-5","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]],"date-time":"2026-07-31T02:05:08Z","timestamp":1785463508000},"page":"4255-4263","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Boiled or not boiled? \u2013 D-aspartic acid in bone proteins as proof of a burial \u201cmore teutonico\u201d?"],"prefix":"10.1007","volume":"140","author":[{"given":"Melanie","family":"Schr\u00f6der","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Valerie","family":"B\u00fchren","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alexandra","family":"Reckert","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Julia","family":"Becker","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lisa","family":"K\u00f6nig","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Stefanie","family":"Ritz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]]},"reference":[{"key":"3928_CR1","unstructured":"Schmitz-Esser RS, Bernd; Weinfurter, Stefan (2014) K\u00fcche, Kochen und Leichenpflege. Der Leichnam im Mittelalter: Einbalsamierung, Verbrennung und die kulturelle Konstruktion des toten K\u00f6rpers. Jan Thorbecke Verlag. pp. 233 ff."},{"key":"3928_CR2","volume-title":"Der Arch\u00e4ologe und der Tod Arch\u00e4ologie und Gerichtsmedizin","author":"SPRR Berg","year":"1981","unstructured":"Berg SPRR, Seemann H (1981) Der Arch\u00e4ologe und der Tod Arch\u00e4ologie und Gerichtsmedizin. Bucher, M\u00fcnchen"},{"key":"3928_CR3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"769","DOI":"10.1017\/S0003598X00089274","volume":"75","author":"E Weiss-Krejci","year":"2001","unstructured":"Weiss-Krejci E (2001) Restless corpses: \u2018secondary burial\u2019 in the Babenberg and Habsburg dynasties. Antiquity 75:769\u2013780. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1017\/S0003598X00089274","journal-title":"Antiquity"},{"key":"3928_CR4","unstructured":"Schmitz-Esser R. (2017) Ertrinken, Kochen, Bestatten: Der Leichnam Friedrich Barbarossas. In: Rue\u00df K-HB, Arnold, ed. Friedrich Barbarossa Gesellschaft f\u00fcr Staufische Geschichte e.V. G\u00f6ppingen pp. 177."},{"key":"3928_CR5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Dvo\u0159\u00e1kov\u00e1 D. (2023) Corpus more regio curatum. When a king dies. Forum Historiae \u010casopis a port\u00e1l pre hist\u00f3riu a pr\u00edbuzn\u00e9 spolo\u010densk\u00e9 vedy. SAV-Slovensk\u00e1 akad\u00e9mia vied-Historick\u00fd \u00fastav SAV. pp. 59\u201375.","DOI":"10.31577\/forhist.2023.17.1.5"},{"key":"3928_CR6","first-page":"136","volume":"34","author":"OM Ortiz","year":"2006","unstructured":"Ortiz OM, Galvis DC, S\u00e1nchez-Mora N, L\u00f3pez CA (2006) Cannibalism in paranoid schizophrenia: a case report. Actas Espanolas de Psiquiatria 34:136\u2013139","journal-title":"Actas Espanolas de Psiquiatria"},{"key":"3928_CR7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fsisyn.2025.100615","volume":"11","author":"MA Sacco","year":"2025","unstructured":"Sacco MA, Santurro A, Consalvo F et al (2025) Multidisciplinary approach to matricide and post-mortem cannibalism: integrating medico-legal and psychiatric investigations. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 11:100615","journal-title":"Forensic Sci Int Synerg"},{"key":"3928_CR8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.legalmed.2026.102834","author":"H Thube","year":"2026","unstructured":"Thube H, Jagtap N, Meshram V, Akbar NM (2026) Matricide with pathological cannibalism: an unusual forensic case report. Legal Med. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.legalmed.2026.102834","journal-title":"Legal Med"},{"key":"3928_CR9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"325","DOI":"10.1016\/0883-2927(89)90036-X","volume":"4","author":"JL Bada","year":"1989","unstructured":"Bada JL, Herrmann B, Payan IL, Man EH (1989) Amino acid racemization in bone and the boiling of the German Emperor Lothar I. Appl Geochem 4:325\u2013327. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/0883-2927(89)90036-X","journal-title":"Appl Geochem"},{"key":"3928_CR10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"284","DOI":"10.1097\/00000433-199809000-00017","volume":"19","author":"S Ohtani","year":"1998","unstructured":"Ohtani S (1998) Rate of aspartic acid racemization in bone. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 19:284\u2013287. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1097\/00000433-199809000-00017","journal-title":"Am J Forensic Med Pathol"},{"key":"3928_CR11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"149","DOI":"10.1016\/0379-0738(94)90251-8","volume":"69","author":"S Ritz","year":"1994","unstructured":"Ritz S, Turzynski A, Sch\u00fctz HW (1994) Estimation of age at death based on aspartic acid racemization in noncollagenous bone proteins. Forensic Sci Int 69:149\u2013159. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/0379-0738(94)90251-8","journal-title":"Forensic Sci Int"},{"key":"3928_CR12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"233","DOI":"10.1016\/j.archoralbio.2006.08.011","volume":"52","author":"S Ohtani","year":"2007","unstructured":"Ohtani S, Yamamoto T, Abe I, Kinoshita Y (2007) Age-dependent changes in the racemisation ratio of aspartic acid in human alveolar bone. Arch Oral Biol 52:233\u2013236. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.archoralbio.2006.08.011","journal-title":"Arch Oral Biol"},{"key":"3928_CR13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"13","DOI":"10.1016\/0379-0738(95)01834-4","volume":"77","author":"S Ritz","year":"1996","unstructured":"Ritz S, Turzynski A, Sch\u00fctz HW, Hollmann A, Rochholz G (1996) Identification of osteocalcin as a permanent aging constituent of the bone matrix: basis for an accurate age at death determination. Forensic Sci Int 77:13\u201326. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/0379-0738(95)01834-4","journal-title":"Forensic Sci Int"},{"key":"3928_CR14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"437","DOI":"10.1007\/s00414-023-02948-9","volume":"137","author":"L K\u00f6nig","year":"2023","unstructured":"K\u00f6nig L, Becker J, Reckert A, Ritz-Timme S (2023) Molecular age estimation based on posttranslational protein modifications in bone: why the type of bone matters. Int J Legal Med 137:437\u2013443. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s00414-023-02948-9","journal-title":"Int J Legal Med"},{"key":"3928_CR15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"160","DOI":"10.1080\/00438243.1975.9979630","volume":"7","author":"JL Bada","year":"1975","unstructured":"Bada JL, Helfman PM (1975) Amino acid racemization dating of fossil bones. World Archaeol 7:160\u2013173. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1080\/00438243.1975.9979630","journal-title":"World Archaeol"},{"key":"3928_CR16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1021\/jo00395a001","volume":"43","author":"G Smith","year":"1978","unstructured":"Smith G, Williams K, Wonnacott D (1978) Factors affecting the rate of racemization of amino acids and their significance to geochronology. J Org Chem 43:1\u20135","journal-title":"J Org Chem"},{"key":"3928_CR17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11649","DOI":"10.1016\/S0021-9258(18)99006-X","volume":"266","author":"SK Grandhee","year":"1991","unstructured":"Grandhee SK, Monnier VM (1991) Mechanism of formation of the Maillard protein cross-link pentosidine. Glucose, fructose, and ascorbate as pentosidine precursors. J Biol Chem 266:11649\u201311653. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S0021-9258(18)99006-X","journal-title":"J Biol Chem"},{"key":"3928_CR18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.1017\/S0954422419000209","volume":"33","author":"E Inan-Eroglu","year":"2020","unstructured":"Inan-Eroglu E, Ayaz A, Buyuktuncer Z (2020) Formation of advanced glycation endproducts in foods during cooking process and underlying mechanisms: a comprehensive review of experimental studies. Nutr Res Rev 33:77\u201389. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1017\/S0954422419000209","journal-title":"Nutr Res Rev"},{"key":"3928_CR19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1225","DOI":"10.1007\/s00414-021-02522-1","volume":"135","author":"NS Mahlke","year":"2021","unstructured":"Mahlke NS, Renhart S, Talaa D, Reckert A, Ritz-Timme S (2021) Molecular clocks in ancient proteins: do they reflect the age at death even after millennia? Int J Legal Med 135:1225\u20131233. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s00414-021-02522-1","journal-title":"Int J Legal Med"},{"key":"3928_CR20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"157","DOI":"10.1007\/s00414-024-03314-z","volume":"139","author":"J Becker","year":"2025","unstructured":"Becker J, B\u00fchren V, Schmelzer L et al (2025) Molecular age prediction using skull bone samples from individuals with and without signs of decomposition: a multivariate approach combining analysis of posttranslational protein modifications and DNA methylation. Int J Legal Med 139:157\u2013174. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s00414-024-03314-z","journal-title":"Int J Legal Med"},{"key":"3928_CR21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1016\/S0021-9673(97)01007-8","volume":"798","author":"D Heems","year":"1998","unstructured":"Heems D, Luck G, Fraudeau C, V\u00e9rette E (1998) Fully automated precolumn derivatization, on-line dialysis and high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of amino acids in food, beverages and feedstuff. J Chromatogr A 798:9\u201317. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S0021-9673(97)01007-8","journal-title":"J Chromatogr A"},{"key":"3928_CR22","first-page":"234","volume":"4","author":"S Capasso","year":"1991","unstructured":"Capasso S, Mazzarella L, Zagari A (1991) Deamidation via cyclic imide of asparaginyl peptides: dependence on salts, buffers and organic solvents. Pept Res 4:234\u2013238","journal-title":"Pept Res"},{"key":"3928_CR23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"331","DOI":"10.1002\/pro.5560020305","volume":"2","author":"TV Brennan","year":"1993","unstructured":"Brennan TV, Clarke S (1993) Spontaneous degradation of polypeptides at aspartyl and asparaginyl residues: effects of the solvent dielectric. Protein Sci 2:331\u2013338. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/pro.5560020305","journal-title":"Protein Sci"},{"key":"3928_CR24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1016\/S0047-6374(01)00363-3","volume":"1","author":"S Ritz-Timme","year":"2002","unstructured":"Ritz-Timme S, Collins MJ (2002) Racemization of aspartic acid in human proteins. Ageing Res Rev 1:43\u201359. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/S0047-6374(01)00363-3","journal-title":"Ageing Res Rev"},{"key":"3928_CR25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4367","DOI":"10.1073\/pnas.071066498","volume":"98","author":"NE Robinson","year":"2001","unstructured":"Robinson NE, Robinson AB (2001) Prediction of protein deamidation rates from primary and three-dimensional structure. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 98:4367\u20134372. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.071066498","journal-title":"Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A"},{"key":"3928_CR26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1227","DOI":"10.1016\/S0146-6380(98)00098-9","volume":"29","author":"AC Van Duin","year":"1998","unstructured":"Van Duin AC, Collins MJ (1998) The effects of conformational constraints on aspartic acid racemization. Org Geochem 29:1227\u20131232","journal-title":"Org Geochem"},{"key":"3928_CR27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"30","DOI":"10.1179\/030801882789801304","volume":"7","author":"JL Bada","year":"1982","unstructured":"Bada JL (1982) Racemization of amino acids in nature. Interdiscip Sci Rev 7:30\u201346","journal-title":"Interdiscip Sci Rev"},{"key":"3928_CR28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"135","DOI":"10.1038\/281135a0","volume":"281","author":"K King","year":"1979","unstructured":"King K, Bada JL (1979) Effect of in situ leaching on amino acid racemisation rates in fossil bone. Nature 281:135\u2013137. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/281135a0","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"3928_CR29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1179\/sic.1995.40.1.19","volume":"40","author":"AM Child","year":"1995","unstructured":"Child AM (1995) Microbial taphonomy of archaeological bone. Stud Conserv 40:19\u201330","journal-title":"Stud Conserv"},{"key":"3928_CR30","unstructured":"Nielsen-Marsh C, Gernaey A, Turner-Walker G, Hedges R, Pike A, Collins M (2000) The chemical degradation of bone. Human osteology in archaeology and forensic science: 439\u201354."},{"key":"3928_CR31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"181","DOI":"10.1016\/j.forsciint.2008.05.017","volume":"179","author":"RC Dobberstein","year":"2008","unstructured":"Dobberstein RC, Huppertz J, von Wurmb-Schwark N, Ritz-Timme S (2008) Degradation of biomolecules in artificially and naturally aged teeth: implications for age estimation based on aspartic acid racemization and DNA analysis. Forensic Sci Int 179:181\u2013191. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1016\/j.forsciint.2008.05.017","journal-title":"Forensic Sci Int"}],"container-title":["International Journal of Legal Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s00414-026-03928-5.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/s00414-026-03928-5","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/content\/pdf\/10.1007\/s00414-026-03928-5.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,12]],"date-time":"2026-10-12T15:42:06Z","timestamp":1791819726000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/10.1007\/s00414-026-03928-5"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]]},"references-count":31,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,11]]}},"alternative-id":["3928"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s00414-026-03928-5","relation":{},"ISSN":["0937-9827","1437-1596"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0937-9827","type":"print"},{"value":"1437-1596","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,31]]},"assertion":[{"value":"24 April 2026","order":1,"name":"received","label":"Received","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"11 July 2026","order":2,"name":"accepted","label":"Accepted","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"31 July 2026","order":3,"name":"first_online","label":"First Online","group":{"name":"ArticleHistory","label":"Article History"}},{"value":"In partial fulfillment of the requirements for a doctoral degree.","order":1,"name":"Ethics","label":"Declarations","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics"}},{"value":"All procedures performed in studies involving human tissue were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and\/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards (approved by the ethics committee at the Medical Faculty of Heinrich-Heine University: 2021\u20131546).","order":2,"name":"Ethics","label":"Ethics approval","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","label":"Consent to participate","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":4,"name":"Ethics","label":"Informed consent","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics"}},{"value":"The ethical committee of the Medical Faculty of the Heinrich-Heine-University D\u00fcsseldorf approved the study, including human tissues (2021\u20131546).","order":5,"name":"Ethics","label":"Research involving human participants and\/or animals","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics"}},{"value":"The authors declare no competing interests.","order":6,"name":"Ethics","label":"Conflict of interest","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics"}}]}}