WHY MEASURE INVERT SUGAR ? – BACKGROUND
Inverted sugar syrup, also called invert syrup is essentially sugar in water. Hydrolytic saccharification of sucrose produces invert sugar, a mixture of the monosaccharides glucose and fructose. The mixture rotates light in the opposite direction of the original sugar, which is why it’s referred to as invert sugar. Food manufacturers commonly use invert sugar as a sweetener because it’s easy to transport and has a long shelf life.
MANUFACTURE AND COMMODITIZATION OF INVERT SUGAR
Manufacture of invert sugar is relatively easy compared with some other food processes and the amount of invert sugar used industrially is very large meaning invert sugar has become highly commoditized. Profit margins are relatively low thus manufacturing efficiently is incredibly important to the organization’s bottom-line profitability.
THEORY
Traditionally, labs use a polarimeter to test invert sugar. A modern polarimeter is fast, less than 60 seconds for a measurement and simple to use for a non-chemist. The polarimeter reading is combined with a refractometer reading. A refractometer measures the total amount of sugar present (Brix). They then measure how much of the total sugar has inverted using the polarimeter. The chemistry is relatively simple; sucrose, a right rotating sugar, breaks down into glucose and fructose, which rotate left overall. This change from right rotation to left rotation on a polarimeter (inversion of the + to a -) is where invert sugar gets its name.
INVERT SUGAR MEASUREMENT OFFERINGS FROM RUDOLPH
The Autopol I Polarimeter and the J57HA refractometer are the ideal pair of instruments for invert sugar measurement. They are easy to measure with and easy to clean. The instruments use optical rotation and BRIX measurements to determine the percent invert. Both instruments are calibrated in a way that is traceable to ISO 17025 and meet the requirements of GLP/GMP. Food and beverage industries prioritize traceability to ensure products meet intended specifications and an accredited third party can verify them. As of June 2022, all Rudolph Research polarimeters come with built in, software driven invert sugar calculations simplifying operations even further. Samples can be measured quickly, accurately and the instruments do all required calculations for you.
TYPICAL RUDOLPH USERS
C & H SUGAR
C&H is a very large sugar refinery making a large range of sugar products in crystalline, powder, and liquid form. Invert sugar is one of these many products.
CSC SUGAR
CSC Sugar operates a wide network of smaller facilities located close to users.
SAN MIGUEL GROUP
San Miguel Group is a large consumer of invert sugar and by bringing the inversion process in house has seen significant cost savings.
