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The analysis of beverages is extremely important for the general health of the population. Why is this so? Our bodies are composed of about 60% water, depending on several factors like weight and sex. Hydration is one of our basic physiological needs, as noted in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. When we are dehydrated, a number of problems occur, from irritability to confusion leading to severe kidney problems and even low blood volume shock in extreme cases. Therefore it is incredibly important for standards to be set by regulatory agencies regarding the contents of the beverages we choose to drink, whether this is water, milk, coffee, juice, soft drinks, beer, wine, or any other number of items. Reliable beverage analysis is critical for many reasons: product monitoring and quality control, general content determination, and to avoid health issues.
A brief overview of beverage analysis with ion chromatography
Depending on the regulations regarding the concentration limit for a compound as well as on the complexity of the analysis and the detection limit of the determination, different instruments and analysis techniques can be applied for the analysis. For single analyte determination, mostly in a higher concentration range (e.g., sugar determination in wine) instruments like titrators, refractometers, or enzymatic kits can be applied for analysis. For analyte qualification and quantification in complex matrices (e.g., lactose determination in dairy products) instruments like ion chromatographs (IC), high-performance liquid chromatographs (HPLC), gas chromatographs with mass spectrometers (GC-MS), or hyphenated liquid chromatographic techniques (LC-MS/MS) are necessary.
Ion chromatography is a simple and robust analysis technique that is able to measure several components in beverages with relative ease compared to these other technologies.
Typically, conductivity detection is used for IC analysis. Other options are available including UV/VIS and amperometric detectors for more specialized analyses (e.g., carbohydrate analysis).
Find out more about our comprehensive options for IC detection
When analyzing complex beverage matrices like milk, coffee, or wine, sample preparation steps are normally required to protect the instrument (e.g., from contamination or blockages due to particles). Performing these steps manually is a very time-consuming and costly process that is also prone to human errors. Metrohm offers a time-saving solution for this with «MISP»: Metrohm Inline Sample Preparation specifically developed for difficult sample matrices. Several options are available including Inline Ultrafiltration, Inline Dialysis, Inline Dilution, and much more.
Watch our LabCast video below about to learn more about the benefits of using Inline Ultrafiltration in IC.
LabCast Ultrafiltration in ion chromatography
With fully automated sample preparation, analysts can be sure that every sample is treated in the exact same manner, leaving time for other more important tasks. Not only does this increase sample throughput, but it also improves accuracy and reproducibility of analyses and results.
Discover the variety of Metrohm Inline Sample Preparation options here
FAQ about beverage analysis with IC
Now that you know a bit more about the capabilities of ion chromatography for quality control in beverage analysis, it’s time to answer some frequently asked questions in this field. Dr. Gabriele Zierfels, Senior Product Specialist Ion Chromatography at Metrohm, has given a webinar hosted by New Food Magazine discussing how IC can help modern quality control labs from the beverage industry comply with official quality and labelling standards and make their daily routine analytics more efficient, which you can watch on-demand for free.
The webinar begins with an overview of the latest analytical techniques used by the beverage industry to comply with quality standards and labelling requirements such as EU regulation 1169/2011 and US regulation 21CFR101. Then the focus shifts to the versatility of ion chromatography for beverage testing and how it can help modern QC labs increase the efficiency of their daily routine analytics, which is exemplified in the main part of the webinar by numerous application examples.
Here we answer the top five questions asked by participants regarding beverage analysis with ion chromatography after the webinar.
1. What are the differences between HPLC and ion chromatography (IC) when it comes to beverage analysis? What are the main benefits of using IC?
High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is typically used to separate complex mixtures with large organic (nonpolar) molecules by utilizing their affinities for different solvents and interactions with modified stationary phases. Many analytes required for food and beverage testing are either ions or polar molecules, some of which cannot be measured using reversed-phase HPLC.
IC on the other hand is a simple and robust analysis technique which allows determination of similar chemical substances in a single chromatographic run. With IC, ionic or polar analytes can be determined in very complex matrices with superior sensitivity and reproducibility using analytical separation columns made of ion exchange resins. The analytes undergo chemical/electrostatic interactions with the column resin. Due to such interactions these analytes are retained stronger than on reversed-phase columns. This allows excellent separation from the matrix components.
Check out the benefits of using IC over HPLC in our video.
2. How easy or difficult is it to switch between applications with a single instrument setup (e.g., analyzing different beverages like coffee and juices)?
Switching between different sample types can be simple, but every sample requires preparation before injection into the chromatographic system. In most cases this means sample dilution or filtration. This procedure can be done manually (which is time consuming) or completely unattended utilizing automated Metrohm Inline Sample Preparation (MISP) techniques. Therefore, several different sample types (e.g., tea, coffee, or juices) can be analyzed one after another for the same analyte profile, such as sugar content. The sample matrices can vary widely, as Metrohm offers various MISP techniques to get the cleanest possible extract for injection and subsequent separation and quantification of the target analytes.
Download free Application Notes below to learn about the analysis of a variety of analytes in multiple beverage types with IC.
IC applications for drinking water
3. How robust is IC when it comes to analytes that require stabilization, for example, sulfite?
Determination of samples containing analytes that must be stabilized prior to analysis (e.g., sulfite) is even more robust when using IC for the task. Even if samples have been stabilized, the detection can be disturbed by electrode fouling in the amperometric detector. To avoid this process (which is common in Direct Current mode), a short automatic cleaning method was applied between the sample analyses for stabilization of the signal and results that lasts for up to three weeks. This means no manual polishing steps and no disposable accessories are required.
To learn more about simplified sulfite analysis with Metrohm ion chromatography, download our free White Paper, check out our previous blog post, and download our free article featured in LC/GC’s The Column.
White Paper: Simplified sulfite determination in foods and beverages with ion chromatography
«Analyze This»: Determining the total sulfite in food and beverages: faster and easier than ever
4. If a series of different samples are analyzed for the same parameter, will the instrument automatically calculate the dilution factor for each individual sample, or does it need to be predetermined for each sample?
When working with the logical Inline Dilution setup, samples containing analytes in different concentration ranges can be determined automatically with correct results. Because every single sample can contain varying concentrations of analytes, the software calculates the dilution factors individually for each sample. The summary report then gives the correct results from the first and second determinations.
5. Are the results traceable?
In short, yes. The MagIC Net software has been developed by Metrohm to intelligently operate the instruments and provide full traceability of results. All parameters of the system components (e.g., the series number or the separation column) are documented thanks to the intelligent chip technology integrated into various working parts of the instrument. This also permits the monitoring of the inline sample preparation and automation steps, improving the reliability of the analysis. The results are traceable for repeatability and audit control, fulfilling GLP and FDA standards.
Read more about the MagIC Net software and its capabilities below.
Your knowledge take-aways
Application eBook: Ion chromatography for food & beverage analysis
