SIMULTANEOUS DETERMINATION OF ORGANIC-ACIDS AND SUGARS IN APPLES BY GAS-LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY

A simple and rapid gas-liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of aliphatic mono-, di- and tricarboxylic acids, cyclic acids (shikimic + quinic), aromatic acids and sugars, all as trimethylsilyl derivatives in a single solution, was developed. Optimum conditions for the simultaneous derivatization and for the quantitative evaluation of organic acids and sugars were established. Reproductibility data showed that 0.25-1 μg of the characteristic acids of apples in the presence of a 700-2500-fold excess of sugars can be determined with a relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) of 10.7% or less. The main components (malic acid, fructose, glucose and sucrose) were determined with an R.S.D. of 4.0% or less. © 1990.