Determination of mono- and disaccharides in milk and milk products by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection Original Research Article

A simple and sensitive liquid chromatographic method for the separation and quantification of mono- and disaccharides in raw- and processed-milk is described. Samples of cows’, buffalos’, sheeps’ and goats’ milk were analyzed upon clarification and appropriate dilution for the quantification of lactose, galactose, glucose and N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). The separation was accomplished by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC–PAD), using a gold working electrode and dilute alkaline eluents modified by a millimolar concentration of barium acetate. The eluent composition employed was designed to provide optimum separation with respect to the selected sample, without interference from the matrix components. The analytical method was successfully employed for the determination of mono- and disaccharides naturally occurring in dairy milk, mozzarella cheese and whey samples, with high sensitivity and accuracy.