Quantification of sugars in breakfast cereals using capillary electrophoresis

Michelle R Toutounji; Matthew P Van Leeuwen; James D Oliver; Ashok K Shrestha; Patrice Castignolles; Marianne Gaborieau

doi:10.1016/j.carres.2015.03.008

Quantification of sugars in breakfast cereals using capillary electrophoresis

Carbohydr Res. 2015 May 18:408:134-41. doi: 10.1016/j.carres.2015.03.008. Epub 2015 Mar 17.

Authors

Michelle R Toutounji¹, Matthew P Van Leeuwen², James D Oliver³, Ashok K Shrestha⁴, Patrice Castignolles⁵, Marianne Gaborieau²

Affiliations

¹ University of Western Sydney (UWS), Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science (ACROSS), School of Science and Health, Parramatta Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; University of Western Sydney (UWS), School of Science and Health, Hawkesbury Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; University of Western Sydney (UWS), Molecular Medicine Research Group, School of Science and Health, Parramatta Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
² University of Western Sydney (UWS), Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science (ACROSS), School of Science and Health, Parramatta Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; University of Western Sydney (UWS), Molecular Medicine Research Group, School of Science and Health, Parramatta Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
³ University of Western Sydney (UWS), Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science (ACROSS), School of Science and Health, Parramatta Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
⁴ University of Western Sydney (UWS), School of Science and Health, Hawkesbury Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
⁵ University of Western Sydney (UWS), Australian Centre for Research on Separation Science (ACROSS), School of Science and Health, Parramatta Campus, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. Electronic address: p.castignolles@uws.edu.au.

PMID: 25841355
DOI: 10.1016/j.carres.2015.03.008

Abstract

About 80% of the Australian population consumes breakfast cereal (BC) at least five days a week. With high prevalence rates of obesity and other diet-related diseases, improved methods for monitoring sugar levels in breakfast cereals would be useful in nutrition research. The heterogeneity of the complex matrix of BCs can make carbohydrate analysis challenging or necessitate tedious sample preparation leading to potential sugar loss or starch degradation into sugars. A recently established, simple and robust free solution capillary electrophoresis (CE) method was used in a new application to 13 BCs (in Australia) and compared with several established methods for quantification of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates identified in BCs by CE included sucrose, maltose, glucose and fructose. The CE method is simple requiring no sample preparation or derivatization and carbohydrates are detected by direct UV detection. CE was shown to be a more robust and accurate method for measuring carbohydrates than Fehling method, DNS (3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid) assay and HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography).

Keywords: 3,5-Dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) assay; Breakfast cereals; Capillary electrophoresis (CE); Disaccharide; Fehling method; Monosaccharide.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Australia
Breakfast
Carbohydrates / analysis*
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / methods
Edible Grain / chemistry*
Electrophoresis, Capillary / methods*
Humans
Salicylates

Substances

Carbohydrates
Salicylates
3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid