Analysis of fructose glucose syrup in lemon juice soft drink

Importance of the topic

Size exclusion combined with sodium-based ligand exchange offers a robust approach for simultaneous analysis of low-molecular-weight carbohydrates and organic acids in beverage matrices. Rapid and accurate quantification of glucose, fructose and acids in soft drinks ensures product consistency, quality control, and compliance with regulatory standards.

Objectives and Study Overview

This study demonstrates the application of the Shim-pack SUR-Na column in the analysis of fructose–glucose syrup and organic acids in a lemon juice soft drink. The goal is to achieve baseline separation of key components within a single isocratic run using water as the mobile phase.

Methodology

Sample Preparation:

• Soft drink sample was centrifuged at 100 g for 3 minutes to remove particulate matter.
• The clear supernatant was directly injected (10 μL) without additional cleanup.

Chromatographic Conditions:

• Column: Shim-pack SUR-Na, 250 mm × 7.8 mm I.D., 8 μm particle size
• Guard Column: Shim-pack SUR-Na (G), 50 mm × 7.8 mm I.D., 8 μm
• Mobile Phase: Water, isocratic
• Flow Rate: 0.6 mL/min
• Column Temperature: 80 °C
• Injection Volume: 10 μL

Instrumentation

• HPLC System: Shimadzu Nexera lite
• Detector: Refractive Index Detector (RID)

Main Results and Discussion

The optimized method achieved clear separation of:

• Peak 1: Organic acids (citric and ascorbic acids) and polysaccharides
• Peak 2: Glucose
• Peak 3: Fructose

The total runtime was under 18 minutes, with baseline resolution between sugar peaks. The use of pure water as mobile phase simplifies system maintenance and reduces solvent costs. High column temperature (80 °C) enhances mass transfer, improving peak shapes for both sugars and acids.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The method provides:

• Fast and efficient analysis of mono- and disaccharides in beverages.
• Minimal sample preparation without derivatization.
• High reproducibility for routine quality control in food and beverage industries.

Future Trends and Applications

Advances may include coupling with mass spectrometric detection for trace-level quantification, exploration of alternative ligand exchange media for improved selectivity, and automation of sample preparation to support high-throughput screening in industrial QA/QC laboratories.

Conclusion

This application of size exclusion and sodium-based ligand exchange on the Shim-pack SUR-Na column delivers a streamlined, reliable protocol for analyzing fructose, glucose and related acids in soft drinks. Its simplicity and efficiency make it well-suited for routine beverage quality control.

Reference

Shimadzu Corporation. Application Note ERAS-1000-0551; First Edition, February 2024.