A spectrofluorimetric procedure for the assay of carrageenan

Abstract

A spectrofluorimetric procedure for the determination of carrageenan in the presence of salts, many polysaccharides, and proteins has been developed. It involves the binding of acridine orange to the polyanion and observation of the decrease in green fluorescence from free monomer dye in solution.

The method offers many advantages over the available chemical assays, and is a simple, accurate and rapid technique for determining carrageenan in a conventional hydrocolloid stabiliser mixture. Its successful application, after minor modifications, in the presence of protein and salts indicates its direct applicability to commercial milk products.