Sugar Analysis — HPLC / ISO 22184 / Enzymatic Methods

What Is Sugar?

Sugar analysis is the separate determination of mono and disaccharides in food. The sample is appropriately extracted and the chromatographically separated sugars are measured separately. Total sugar is the sum of these components.

Purpose of Sugar

The aim is to provide data for the 'sugars' item in the nutrition claim table, to support nutrition claims (sugar-free, low sugar) and to detect adulteration.

Which Products Is Sugar Applied To?

Fruit juices and drinks
Dairy products
Honey and sugary products
Baby food and special nutritional products
Baked goods and desserts

In Which Sectors Is Sugar Used?

FoodAgricultureRetail

Standards Related to Sugar

TS EN ISO 22184 (milk and dairy products — sugar determination, ion chromatography)
TS EN 12630 (fruit and vegetable juices — glucose, fructose, sorbitol, sucrose)
AOAC 982.14 (Determination of sugar by HPLC)
TS EN ISO 5377 (reducing sugar)

Sugar Conditions

Separation: HPLC (RI or amperometric detector) or ion chromatography
Extraction: Water or aqueous ethanol; Cleaning is required in oily and proteinaceous matrices
Result: Each sugar separately and in total, g/100 g or g/100 mL

Equipment for Sugar

HPLC (with RI detector)
Ion chromatography system
Water bath and ultrasonic bath
Analytical balance and filtration devices

Sample Requirements for Sugar

Homogenized representative sample
Well mixed sample in liquid products
Product matrix must be declared — determines the cleaning step
Sufficient sample quantity

Duration of Sugar

Extraction, cleanup and chromatographic measurement together take several working days; For simple matrices, the time is shorter.

Sugar Procedure

1The sample is homogenized and weighed.
2It is extracted with the appropriate solvent.
3Cleaning is applied to matrices containing protein and oil.
4The extract is filtered.
5Chromatographic separation and measurement are performed.
6Each sugar and total sugar are calculated.

Sugar Acceptance Criteria

Acceptance criteria are label declaration and (EU) 1169/2011 tolerance guidelines. For nutrition claims such as 'sugar-free' or 'low sugar', the conditions defined in Annex (EC) 1924/2006 must be met.

Evaluation of Results

The sugar profile is more informative than the total value: an unexpected sucrose/glucose ratio in the juice may indicate the use of added sugar. For this reason, profiles are used in authenticity assessments.

Sugar Report

Specimen identification and matrix
Applied method and detector
Result and detection limit for each sugar
Total sugar value
Measurement uncertainty

Accreditation

EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.

Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Scope and authorisations

Related Regulations

Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 on Food Information to Consumers
Nutrition and Health Declarations Regulation (EC) 1924/2006

Food Testing — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the Sugar test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Food testing shows that a product is safe for consumption and contains what its label states. The family works along three axes: microbiological safety, chemical safety and nutritional composition. All three require different laboratory infrastructure, a different body of methods and a different turnaround time.

The most distinctive feature of the field is TIME PRESSURE. A steel specimen can wait on a shelf; a raw milk or fresh meat sample cannot. The time the sample was taken, the transport temperature and how long it takes to reach the laboratory directly determine the validity of the result. In food microbiology the cold chain record is therefore an inseparable part of the test report.

On the microbiological side there are two different questions and they must not be confused. DETECTION of a pathogen is a qualitative question: is Salmonella present in the sample or not? ENUMERATION of indicator organisms is a quantitative question and an indicator of production hygiene. The absence of a pathogen in a product does not show that hygiene is good; if the total mesophilic aerobic count is high, there is a problem in the process.

On the chemical side, pesticide residues, mycotoxins, heavy metals, additives, veterinary drug residues and process contaminants (acrylamide, furan, PAH) are measured. Multi-residue methods in this area (QuEChERS-based LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS) can screen hundreds of active substances in a single analysis; limits are defined separately for each product–substance pair.

On the composition side, protein, fat, moisture, ash, fibre, sugar profile, fatty acid composition, vitamin and mineral content are determined. These values are the basis of the nutrition declaration on the label and the tolerance ranges are defined in legislation — the difference between the declared value and the measured value must stay within that tolerance.

There is NO CE marking on food, and this shapes how the field works. Conformity is demonstrated through operating a HACCP-based food safety system, complying with labelling rules and not exceeding contaminant, residue and microbiological limits. A test result produces evidence not for a certificate but for a functioning system.

Allergen management carries particular weight. The presence of an undeclared allergen in a product is one of the most frequent causes of food recalls. Analysis here runs together with cleaning validation: it is shown that the line has been cleaned adequately after a production run containing an allergen and that the risk of cross-contamination is under control.

Voluntary schemes have become effectively mandatory in this field. Retail chains require their suppliers to hold a certificate under a GFSI-recognised scheme (BRCGS, IFS, FSSC 22000); without it, getting onto the shelf is practically impossible.

Method groups in this field

Pathogen detection
Detection of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, Cronobacter and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli; culture-based and molecular methods.
Indicator counts
Total mesophilic aerobic count, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms and E. coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci, yeasts and moulds, lactic acid bacteria, sulphite-reducing Clostridia.
Pesticide and veterinary residues
Multi-residue screening by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS with QuEChERS extraction.
Mycotoxins and contaminants
Aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol, patulin; heavy metals (ICP-MS), acrylamide and PAH compounds.
Nutritional composition
Kjeldahl protein, fat and fatty acid profile, moisture, ash, dietary fibre, sugar profile, vitamin and mineral analyses.
Allergens and authenticity
Gluten, milk, egg, nut and soy allergen analyses; molecular methods for species identification and adulteration detection.

Commonly confused in this field

Sampling is half the result. A sample transported at the wrong temperature or delayed gives an invalid result even if it is analysed correctly in the laboratory.
The absence of a pathogen does not show that hygiene is good; indicator counts give separate information and the two are read together.
A result from a sample taken from a lot can be generalised to the whole lot only if the sampling plan was set up statistically.
Limits are defined in separate regulations by product group and are updated regularly; a conformity decision based on an outdated limit table may be wrong.
For exports, the limits of the destination country may differ from EU limits; the same product may be compliant in one market and non-compliant in another.

Which decisions these results support

Verification of the HACCP plan and process monitoring
The basis for the nutrition declaration and allergen information on the label
Health certificates before export and compliance with destination market limits
Supplier and lot-based acceptance control
Shelf-life studies and determining storage conditions
Producing evidence for audits under GFSI-recognised schemes

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About Sugar

Can the statement 'No added sugar' be demonstrated by analysis?

It cannot be shown directly because added sugar and natural sugar are chemically the same. Sugar profile and, if necessary, isotope analysis provide supporting evidence; The main basis for the declaration is the production records and the recipe.