Organic acids play important roles in juices and wines because of their influence on the organoleptic properties and the stability and microbiological control of the products. Organic acid profiles are monitored to determine the freshness of certain fruit juices; winemakers also monitor the concentration of various organic acids to ensure the quality of their wines. The characterization of organic acids is also used for testing the authenticity of fruit juices and wines. The high economic value and the large market demand for juices, such as those obtained from pomegranate and various types of berries, make them a likely target for adulteration. Characterizations of the organic acid content of certain juices are therefore required to verify their authenticity. In this work, we demonstrate an ion chromatography (IC) method for the characterization of ionic composition profiles and the determination of organic acids in juice and wine samples. The separation of 30 anions was achieved on a high-capacity high-efficiency 4 �m particle size anion exchange column using electrolytically-generated high-purity hydroxide gradient combined with methanol. Compared to the conventional 9 �m particle size IC column, the 4 �m particle size column offers superior resolving power for separating the target anions, resulting in improved resolution for easier peak integration and more reliable results. The suppressed conductivity detection provides high sensitivity for the anions, including various organic acids-even those present at low concentrations. The specificity and sensitivity of this method allows simple sample treatments without complex procedures such as extraction and/or derivatization. Five different juices and three types of wines were examined in this study. Recoveries of the target anions were in the range of 92.4-109%. The retention time and peak area RSDs of the target anions are within 4% and 0.04%, respectively.

Determination of organic acids in fruit juices and wines by high-pressure ion chromatography

247th National Meeting (2014)

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