An Analytical Method for Oligosaccharides in Sugarcane Products

An analyt~cal method has been developed which can be used for routine detect1011 and estiinatlon of oligosacchar~des in cane sugar products. Levels as low as 0.01% can be detected and oligosacchaiides have beell found in all m~l l and refinery products. The method IS based on giadient elutlon wlth aqueous ethanol, usiilg a carbon-celite column. Samples of about zoo mg glve good results for most products. About five hours are needed for the complete analysis because preliminary elution~s necessary to remove the bulk of the sucrose before the gradient is appl~ed. The ol~gosaccharides usually present 111 cane products call be ~esolved ~ n t o three major colnponents and then relat~ve proportions can be estimated. The degree of crystal growth inhibition which might be expected can be assessed from the presence of I-kestose, neo-lcestose and another ol~gosaccharide (015-I), all oligosaccharides contribute to thk optical iotatioil measured , for pol deterininations. The other minor and trace compounds cannot be eas~ly dlst~ngulsl~ed as lildividual coinponents