Aplikasi

For a variety of reasons, the water content of chocolate is of crucial importance and has to be accurately determined. This poster compares an automated version of the Karl Fischer titration (KFT) using the sequential addition of various solvents with the widespread manual titration at elevated temperatures using a chloroform/methanol mixture. The water contents determined by the two procedures show excellent agreement. However, manual titration requires laborintensive sample preparation, the side reactions are difficult to quantify and hazardous halogenated solvents have to be used. In contrast, automated KFT is straightforward, uses non-hazardous solvents, allows to quantify the side reactions and is easily applicable to water determinations in sugar- and fat-containing matrices.

The photometric determination of nitrate is limited by the fact that the respective methods (salicylic acid, brucine, 2,6-dimethyl phenol, Nesslers reagent after reduction of nitrate to ammonium) are subject to interferences. The direct potentiometric determination using an ion-selective nitrate electrode causes problems in the presence of fairly large amounts of chloride or organic compounds with carboxyl groups. The polarographic method, on the other hand, is not only more rapid, but also practically insensitive to chemical interference, thus ensuring more accurate results. The limit of quantification depends on the matrix of the sample and is approximately 1 mg/L.

This Bulletin describes analysis methods for determining the following parameters: pH value, total titratable acid, ash alkalinity, formol number, total sulfurous acid, chloride, sulfate, calcium, and magnesium. These methods are suitable for the analysis of jams, fruit and vegetable juices, and their concentrates.

The water content of sweet liquorice is determined according to Karl Fischer. To dissolve the sample, a mixture of methanol and formamide is used as solvent and a high-frequency homogenizer as stirring device.

Determination of chloride, nitrate, and sulphate in sugar-containing solutions without matrix elimination using anion chromatography with direct conductometric detection.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a fast, chemical-free analysis method for various quality parameters of chocolate bars without sample preparation. The NIRS solution is easy to use and can be used atline or in a quality control lab.

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) allows the simultaneous determination of sweeteners such as Stevia and sucralose in blends in less than one minute without any chemicals or sample preparation.

Determination of sucrose, glucose, and sucralose in a low-calorie sweetener using ion-exclusion chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection after post-column addition of sodium hydroxide.

Inulin is a mixture of many fructose molecules. Inulin is increasingly being used in food production in recent times. This Application Note describes the determination of the inulin content in cakes. Correct analysis requires knowing which type of inulin is present, because the total number of fructose units varies. In this task, for example, the F8 peak (eight fructose units) was quantified.

Polydextrose is a low-calorie, synthetic polymer made of glucose. It is a recognized additive for foodstuffs. Hot water is used to extract the polydextrose from the foodstuff, after which it is centrifuged. Subsequent fermentation removes maltooligomers and fructans. Afterwards, the polydextrose is quantified using anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection.

Worldwide, milk and dairy products are vital sources for human nutrition. A major component and energy source in dairy products is lactose. To efficiently metabolize lactose, the enzyme lactase is indispensable. However, globally nearly 70% of the population is lactose intolerant and they have difficulties to digest lactose. Lactose malabsorption leads to numerous gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms and other complaints with varying extents. Therefore, consumers rely on accurate food labels and for manufacturers appropriate sensitive analytical techniques are a must to comply with these demands. Ion chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (IC-PAD) enables the determination of very low lactose contents. Validation according to AOAC requirements shows the high sensitivity and reliability of this method as a routine analysis.

Oxidation stability is an important quality criterion of chocolate as it provides information about the long-term stability of the product. Cocoa contains various flavonoids that act as antioxidants. The most important and common flavonoids are catechin, epicatechin, and procyanidin. Although the flavonoid content may vary amongst chocolate type, it can be said, the greater the cocoa content in the chocolate, the greater the antioxidant effect.Chocolate cannot be measured directly with the classical Rancimat method, as no evaluable induction time is obtained. There are many reasons for this, for example a too low fat content or various matrix effects. Traditionally, extraction of the fat from the chocolate using e.g., petroleum ether is therefore necessary.In this Application Note, the oxidation stability of white, milk and dark chocolate with varying cacao content is determined in without extraction. Instead, polyethylene glycol is used as conducting medium. More information on the Rancimat method can be found on the Metrohm website.

Higher antioxidant levels mean longer product viability. The 892 Professional Rancimat determines antioxidant content in many products using a linear regression method.

About 20% of our sugar comes from sugar beet crops, mostly grown in Europe and the U.S. where the climate is temperate, whereas the other 80% is produced from sugar cane in tropical areas. Lime salts and pH are very important factors which are controlled during the sugar manufacturing process. Complexometric titration is often used to determine the concentration of lime salts in such kinds of samples. This Application Note presents a more robust method for determining calcium compounds in sugar beet juice. Subjectivity of color change determination is eliminated by using an ion selective electrode (ISE).

Determination of Zn, Pb, Cu, and Fe in sugar after wet digestion.

The toxic element cadmium (Cd) can be found in elevated concentrations with high bioavailability in some soils. Under such conditions, cacao trees can accumulate cadmium in the beans, which are then processed into cocoa. Chocolate produced from the affected beans will contain elevated cadmium levels. Typical limit values in the European Union are between 100 µg/kg and 800 µg/kg (EU Commission Regulation 1881/2006) depending on the cocoa content of the chocolate.Anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) can be used to accurately determine trace quantities of cadmium in chocolate down to approximately 10 µg/kg. The method is simple to perform, specific, and free of interferences. Prior to determination the samples are ashed in a furnace at 450 °C.

Efficiently analyze food products with ion chromatography (IC). Discover its robust applications in quality control for beverages, food additives, and dairy.

Ion measurement can be conducted in several different ways, e.g., ion chromatography (IC), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), or atom absorption spectroscopy (AAS). Each of these are well-established, widely used methods in analytical laboratories. However, the initial costs are relatively high. In contrast, ion measurement by the use of an ion-selective electrode (ISE) is a promising alternative to these costly techniques. This White Paper explains the challenges which may be encountered when applying standard addition or direct measurement, and how to overcome them in order for analysts to gain more confidence with this type of analysis.

Sulfites are well-known additives in foods and beverages used to extend shelf life and preserve colors. Such properties have led to the broad usage of sulfites in a range of foodstuffs like fruits, cereals, vegetables, seafood, juices, alcoholic and non-alcoholic (soft) beverages, and in some meat products. The term «sulfites» describes a group of molecules that include sulfur dioxide (SO2) and chemically related molecules like sodium sulfite (Na2SO3), sodium bisulfite (NaHSO3), or sodium metabisulfite (Na2S2O5). Sulfite intake has been correlated with several adverse reactions, and therefore sulfites are included in the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius list. Labelling sulfite content in foods and beverages is necessary when the total concentration exceeds 10 mg/kg. Metrohm ion chromatography allows the reliable measurement of sulfite in different matrices using either conductivity or amperometric detection. The inclusion of automated sample preparation and cleaning steps with Metrohm instrumentation saves additional analyst time and helps increase sample throughput.