Rapid determination of the glucose content of molasses using a biosensor

Abstract

A knowledge of the sugar content of molasses is of commercial importance to a number of industrial fermentations. Hence the feasibility of using a glucose oxidase biosensor to determine the glucose content of molasses samples was investigated. This method was compared with standard high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) and gas-liquid chromatographic (GLC) procedures and with the use of a commercially available glucose analyser. A good correlation was obtained between the standard acetic anhydride GLC and glucose oxidase biosensor results (correlation coefficient =.98). Rapid and accurate measurements could be carried out using the biosensor without the need to employ the sample preparation step required in standard GLC methods. It was concluded that the use of the biosensor technique for the determination of glucose in molasses samples has distinct advantages over conventional methods.