[Method of quantitative analysis by HPLC and confirmation by LC-MS of sugar alcohols in foods]

A reliable quantitative determination method of sugar alcohols, D-mannitol, xylitol and D-sorbitol, in food samples by HPLC, and a simple confirmation method by LC-MS were developed. Quantitative HPLC analysis was performed using a separation column packed with polystyrene cation exchange resin of sulfonic acid type, and with pure distilled water as the mobile phase. This column, operated at 0.85 mL/min flow rate of mobile phase and 50℃ column oven temperature, completely separated the three sugar alcohols. Further, these three sugar alcohols were well separated from erythritol and other sugars (sucrose, D-glucose, D-xylose and D-fructose). Recoveries of the three sugar alcohols spiked into food samples, such as orange juice, yogurt, chewing gum and milk, exceeded 91% and the values of coefficient of variance were below 3.1%. A triple extraction process with 80% ethanol was needed for biscuit to achieve recoveries exceeding 82%. LC-MS was carried out on a NH2 column with acetonitrile-water (9 : 1) as the mobile phase, and this afforded partial but acceptable separation of the three sugar alcohols with in 10 minutes. Ion peaks derived from [M-H](-) and [M+Cl](-) were clearly detected for all three sugar alcohols in the negative electrospray inization mode at 30 V cone voltage. The positive electrospray ionization mode produced the ions [M+Na](+) and [M+Na+CH3CN](+). These characteristic ions served to confirm the presence of the sugar alcohols in food samples.