Inulin Determination by an Improved HPLC-ELSD Method

Since inulin utilization as a sugar or fat replacer, texture modifier, and emulsifier is increasing in the food industry, there is a need for its determination for food control and labeling. This study reports the development and validation of an advanced high-performance liquid chromatographic method with evaporative light-scattering detection (HPLC-ELSD) method for inulin quantification, with optimized extraction conditions (1:10 w/v solid-to-solvent ratio, 1 h/80 degrees C in a water bath continued with 30 min ultrasonication for the extraction step, and precipitation during the night with four volumes of acetone). The rapid HPLC-ELSD analysis (16 min) has been performed by isocratic elution with water as a mobile phase and optimized detector parameters (temperature of evaporator 80 degrees C, temperature of nebuliser 80 degrees C, gas flow rate 1.3 standard liters per minute, detector gain 1). The method was validated in terms of limits of detection and quantification, intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy, and recovery. The proposed method was carried out using a cation exchange (Ag +) column for the first time for the inulin determination, avoiding the hydrolysis step in order to simplify and accelerate the quantification.

Automated summary

An advanced HPLC-ELSD method was developed and validated for the quantification of inulin, with optimized extraction conditions and detector parameters, improving analysis speed and accuracy. The study utilized a cation exchange column for inulin determination, simplifying and accelerating the quantification process while avoiding hydrolysis.