Beverages Applications Notebook - Carbonated Beverages

Importance of Beverage Analytical Methods

Carbonated and non-carbonated beverages contain complex mixtures of inorganic ions, organic acids, sweeteners, preservatives, and other additives that impact flavor, safety, and shelf life. Reliable, high-throughput analytical methods are essential to monitor contamination, ensure regulatory compliance, validate ingredients, and maintain product consistency across global production.

Study Overview

This collection of application notes and updates from Thermo Fisher Scientific details an integrated portfolio of sample preparation, chromatography, detection, and data-management techniques optimized for beverage analysis. Key studies include:

• Separation of inorganic anions, cations, and organic acids in carbonated beverages (Application Note 25).
• Rapid measurement of phosphate and citrate using Reagent-Free IC (Application Note 169).
• Determination of common additives (preservatives, sweeteners, caffeine) via mixed-mode HPLC (Application Note 193).
• Sensitive analysis of sucralose in low-sugar colas by HPAE-PAD (Application Update 151).
• On-line carbonation removal with a Carbonate Removal Device (CRD) for phosphate/citrate analysis (Application Update 153).

Methodologies and Instrumentation

• UHPLC Systems: UltiMate 3000 UHPLC+ (nano to semipreparative, up to 1000 bar).
• Ion Chromatography: Dionex ICS-900 to ICS-5000 RFIC systems with Reagent-Free KOH generation, ASRS suppressors.
• Columns: IonPac Fast Anion III for phosphate/citrate; AS11/AS22/AS23 for anions; CS10/CS12 for cations; ICE-AS6 for organic acids.
• MS Integration: MSQ Plus single quadrupole with automatic IC-MS/LC-MS switching and Chromeleon LC/MS software.
• Sample Preparation: Automated SPE (AutoTrace 280), ASE extractors; on-line CRD for carbonation removal.
• Detection/Data: Suppressed conductivity, pulsed amperometric detection (PAD) on CarboPac PA20, Chromeleon 7 CDS with eWorkflows.

Main Results and Discussion

• Inorganic ions and organic acids were separated in <20 min with AS11, AS22, CS12, and ICE-AS6 columns, achieving <2% area RSD and broad linear ranges.
• RFIC (ICS-2000) with Fast Anion III enabled 5-min phosphate and citrate assays (20 mM KOH/90 mM acetate), rugged across >5 000 injections.
• Acclaim Mixed-Mode WAX-1 HPLC resolved caffeine, benzoate, sorbate, citrate, aspartame, acesulfame, and saccharin in <8 min with UV detection, calibration R²>0.998.
• HPAE-PAD on CarboPac PA20 quantified sucralose in reduced-carbohydrate colas after 100× dilution, achieving sub-5% recovery and LOD <0.6 mg/L.
• Incorporating an on-line CRD for carbonation removal delivered phosphate/citrate determinations comparable to 20-min off-line degassing, with <0.3% RSD.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Automated, integrated workflows reduce manual steps and solvent use.
• High throughput (<5–20 min analyses) supports large-scale beverage production QC.
• Robustness over thousands of injections ensures consistent performance.
• Wide analyte coverage—ions, acids, sweeteners, preservatives—enables comprehensive profiling from raw ingredients to final product.
• Single-software control and database management facilitate compliance with regulatory requirements.

Future Trends and Applications

• Process Analytical Technology (PAT): on-line IC/HPLC for real-time process monitoring and control.
• Deeper integration of LC/MS for structural confirmation and trace analysis.
• Advanced stationary phases for faster separations and novel analyte classes (e.g., biogenic amines, oligomers).
• AI-driven data analysis and eWorkflows for error reduction and method standardization across laboratories.

Conclusion

Thermo Fisher’s integrated analytical solutions—spanning sample preparation, chromatography, detection, and data management—provide beverage analysts with rapid, precise, and reliable methods. These workflows address the full range of beverage QC challenges, from anion/cation profiling to sweetener quantitation and on-line carbonation removal, enabling manufacturers to maintain quality, consistency, and regulatory compliance at scale.

References

• Application Note 25: Determination of Inorganic Ions and Organic Acids in Non-Alcoholic Carbonated Beverages
• Application Note 169: Rapid Determination of Phosphate and Citrate in Carbonated Soft Drinks
• Application Note 193: Determination of Additives in Carbonated Beverages
• Application Update 151: Determination of Sucralose in Reduced-Carbohydrate Colas
• Application Update 153: Fast Determinations of Phosphate and Citrate Using On-Line Degassing with CRD