This application note is about quantifying the total carbohydrate content in beverages. The color obtained is measured at 490 nm by using a UV Vis spectrophotometer.
What Are Carbohydrates?
Carbohydrate is a biomolecule constituting carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. They have general empirical formula Cm(H2O)n. Saccharide, which is commonly referred as carbohydrate is a group of sugar, starch and cellulose. There are lot of variations in the basic structure of carbohydrates such as ring, shape, linkage and polymerization.
Why Do We Need to Know About Carbohydrates?
Carbohydrate is one of the essential nutrient in a balanced diet since they are associated with supplying energy to the body. Most of the food products are composed of carbohydrates, hence it is very much important to determine the total carbohydrate content present.
Total Content Analysis
Total carbohydrate content is determined by the phenol-sulphuric acid method. It involves two steps:
Step 1: Formation of furfural compounds by hydrolyzation of carbohydrates
Step 2: Reaction of phenol with furfural compounds to develop orange color
Download our free application note to learn more and benefit from our experience in determining the total carbohydrate content.
 |
 |
