Direct ATR-FTIR determination of sucrose in beet root

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Agricultural Science
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Accurate quantification of sucrose in beet root is crucial for agricultural and industrial applications.
• Traditional methods for sucrose determination can be time-consuming and prone to interference.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple, fast, and accurate method for direct sucrose determination in beet root samples.
• To validate the use of attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared absorbance measurements (ATR-FTIR) for this purpose.

Main Methods:

• Utilized attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared absorbance measurements (ATR-FTIR) at a specific wavenumber (1056 cm⁻¹).
• Established a baseline between 1187 and 887 cm⁻¹ for spectral analysis.
• Employed a simple sample preparation involving crushing or liquefaction.

Main Results:

• Achieved direct determination of sucrose without matrix effects or interference from other sugars.
• Obtained high recovery rates (101–103%) for spiked samples within the 3.5–10.5% (w/w) concentration range.
• Demonstrated a low limit of detection (0.15% w/w) and high precision (standard deviation of 0.03% w/w for 9.30% w/w sample).

Conclusions:

• The developed ATR-FTIR method offers a rapid and reliable approach for sucrose quantification in beet roots.
• This method eliminates the need for complex sample preparation and is unaffected by common interfering substances.
• The technique's accuracy and sensitivity make it suitable for routine analysis in quality control and research.