Separation and determination of alditols and sugars by high-pH anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection

Carbohydrates such as alditols (polyols or sugar alcohols), monosaccharides and disaccharides are separated as anions by anion-exchange chromatography with a sodium hydroxide eluent, MA1 CarboPac column and pulsed amperometri c detection. We report a high-pH anion-exchange chromatographic-pulsed ampe rometric detection (HPAEC-PAD) method that determines all the polyols used as food additives in food products and the most commonly found mono- and di saccharides on a routine basis. The linearity, repeatability, internal repr oducibility and accuracy are described. The applicability of the method has been demonstrated by the analysis of 46 relevant samples and by participat ion twice in the Food Analysis Performance Assessment Scheme (FAPAS) testin g programme for food additives. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science BN. All rights re served.