Analysis of 10 kinds of Maltooligosaccharides in a Soft Drink by ELSD-LT III

Importance of the Topic

Oligosaccharides play vital roles in food quality and nutrition analysis. Rapid, accurate measurement of maltooligosaccharides supports product development, regulatory compliance, and routine quality control in the beverage industry.

Objectives and Overview of the Study

The study aimed to develop a single high-performance liquid chromatography method for simultaneous separation and quantitation of ten maltooligosaccharides (G1–G10) in a soft drink matrix. Key goals included achieving baseline separation within a practical time frame, ensuring linear detection over wide concentration ranges, and simplifying method setup for varying analyte levels.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The analysis utilized hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography with gradient elution and evaporative light scattering detection. Instrumentation included a Nexera XR HPLC system equipped with a Shodex Asahipak NH2P-50 4E column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 µm) and an ELSD-LT III detector featuring the new Wide function. Mobile phases were water (A) and acetonitrile (B) with a gradient from 70 % B to 40 % over 25 minutes, returning to 70 % by 30 minutes. Flow rate was 1 mL/min, column temperature 40 °C, injection volume 10 µL. ELSD settings included a drift tube at 40 °C, nitrogen nebulizer at 350 kPa, a 4 s filter, and automatic sensitivity optimization via the Wide function.

Main Results and Discussion

The method achieved elution of all ten maltooligosaccharides within 20 minutes with clear resolution. Calibration for G1 through G7 covered ranges from 0.01 to 2.00 g/L, all exhibiting correlation coefficients above 0.998. Repeatability tests at 0.05 g/L (n=6) showed retention time RSD below 0.1 % and area RSD below 2.2 %. Application to a soft drink sample (20× dilution) revealed a dominant G1 concentration of 1.59 g/L, with other oligosaccharides present at lower levels. The Wide function allowed one method file to accommodate analyte concentrations spanning two orders of magnitude without manual detector adjustments.

Benefits and Practical Applications

• Fast, simultaneous quantitation of multiple saccharides in complex beverage matrices.
• Gradient elution paired with ELSD eliminates baseline drift issues associated with refractive detectors.
• The Wide function streamlines method development by automating sensitivity adjustment across diverse concentration ranges.

Future Trends and Possibilities

• Extension of this HILIC-ELSD approach to other carbohydrate classes and diverse food and beverage samples.
• Coupling with mass spectrometry for comprehensive structural analysis of oligosaccharides.
• Implementation in automated quality control workflows and real-time monitoring systems.

Conclusion

This HILIC-ELSD method with automated sensitivity control provides a robust, efficient, and versatile solution for comprehensive maltooligosaccharide analysis, enhancing analytical throughput and data reliability in food and beverage research and quality assurance.

Reference

Shimadzu Corporation. Application No. L571. Analysis of Ten Maltooligosaccharides in a Soft Drink by ELSD-LT III. First Edition: September 2020.