For the first time in Kazakhstan, scientists of the subsidiary organization of the “National Agrarian Science and Educational Center” JSC - the Astana branch of the “Kazakh Research Institute of Processing and Food Industry” LLP have conducted a number of experiments on the chromatographic separation of domestic GFS-42 (Glucose-fructose syrup) to obtain a syrup with a fructose content of at least 90%. This syrup makes it possible to expand the range of products produced by domestic starch enterprises and reduce import dependence in sugar products.
Currently, Kazakhstani starch enterprises are producing GFS-42. It is considered a first generation syrup, although developed countries have long since switched to the production of second and third generation syrups - GFS-55 and GFS-90. Syrups of the second and third generation in their composition have a higher content of fructose, it should be noted that fructose is the sweetest dietary sugar, which is almost 1.2 times sweeter than sucrose.
Fructose contributes many beneficial physical and functional properties to foods and beverages, including sweetness, flavor enhancement, hydration, color and flavor development, freezing point reduction, and osmotic stability. GFS is widely used in carbonated drinks, baked goods, canned fruits, jams and jellies, and dairy products. Food industry giants such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi were among the first to switch to glucose-fructose syrup.
Separation was carried out using a chromatographic column filled with a PCR641Ca cation exchange resin from Purolite International Ltd (Great Britain). As a starting product, GFS-42 was used with glucose content - 51.78%, fructose - 42.63%, HMC - 1.06%, Mtriose - 0.96% and Maltose - 3.58%. Glucose-fructose syrup (eluate) was diluted in deionized water to a solids content of 30-50% and passed through a 2 mm cellulose filter, then the solution was heated to a temperature of 50 ° C. The volume of the syrup solution introduced into the column was 10% of the resin content. The eluent was deionized water and was heated to a temperature above the column temperature to remove any dissolved gases that evolved.
The resulting solution of glucose-fructose syrup was fed to the column at flow rates from 4 to 8 milliliters per minute. After the batch of the syrup solution, the calculated amount of deionized water (elution) was fed into the column at the same flow rate equal to the flow rate of glucose-fructose syrup. The elution time was calculated from the time when the water pump was turned on. The solution flowing out of the column was directed to the fraction collector at a speed of 60 s. per test tube. When the separation was complete, the column was washed with deionized water at a flow rate of 10-15 milliliters per minute.
Collected column effluents (60 second portions) were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to determine the carbohydrate composition. As a result of the studies carried out, a syrup with a fructose content of 93.326% was obtained, and also scientists of the Astana branch of the “Kazakh Research Institute of Processing and Food Industry” LLP developed a technology for the separation of GFS-42, which can later be used for the production of syrups of the second (GFS-55), third generation (GFS -90) and for the production of crystallized fructose.
The accumulated scientific and technological global experience in the production of GFS and fructose allows, in the opinion of scientists, to improve and simplify the corresponding production to an acceptable level in Kazakhstan, while maintaining high efficiency and profitability.
