Open Access

Tiên Do, Melanie Broszat

• The quantification of simple sugars can be challenging due to their high polarity, low volatility, their lack of a chromophore and their common occurrence in complex matrices. HPTLC can separate mono- and oligosaccharides after minimal sample preparation and can sensitively detect these compounds after post-chromatographic derivatization. The published method for quantification of sugars in honeyThe quantification of simple sugars can be challenging due to their high polarity, low volatility, their lack of a chromophore and their common occurrence in complex matrices. HPTLC can separate mono- and oligosaccharides after minimal sample preparation and can sensitively detect these compounds after post-chromatographic derivatization. The published method for quantification of sugars in honey allows analyzing multiple samples on a single plate within approximately 3.7 hours. With the method transferred to the new HPTLC PRO System, this test can be accomplished in about 2.5 hours. An alternative method developed for HPTLC PRO requires just 1.3 hours per plate. HPTLC allows quantification of sugars in honey and other complex matrices at low running costs. Depending on the level of equipment used, the speed, automation and reliability of the obtained quantitative results can be increased. With the new method developed for the HPTLC PRO System, the main sugars in honey can be investigated in short time and other sugars, such as oligomers present in fermentation processes, can be analyzed at the same time.…