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Extraction and Analysis of Xylitol in Sugar-Free Gum Samples by GC-MS with Direct Aqueous Injection
Suranga M Rajapaksha1,2, Katherine Gerken3, Todd Archer4
1Department of Chemistry, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS 39762, USA.
Abstract:
Xylitol, a sugar substitute frequently used in sugar-free gum, is generally considered harmless to humans but it can be extremely toxic to dogs. Dog-owning customers are becoming increasingly aware of the risks associated with xylitol-containing chewing gums. However, there remains some uncertainty if these chewing gums are still dangerous to dogs after they have been partially consumed. In this work, a reliable low-cost analytical method has been developed to quantify the xylitol in sugar-free gum samples. Xylitol was extracted from gum samples using water as a solvent. Extractions were analyzed by GC-MS with direct aqueous injection (DAI). This method was successfully applied to over 120 samples including fresh gum and 5 min, 15 min, and 30 min chewed gum samples.
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