This multinational looks for a rapid method for the quantization of a 7-carbon monosaccharide in a raw material matrix (fruit) as well as in a final ingredient matrix (fruit sugar concentrate).

The company is interested in a quick method that will utilize simple, robust instrumentation and will deliver the quantization of a certain 7 carbon monosaccharide in less than 24 hours.

This quantization must be specific for a selected 7 carbon monosaccharide even though other 7 carbon monosaccharides and reducing sugars may be present in these matrices.

Ion Exchange Chromatography (IEC) is the current detection method employed after a water extraction to obtain the 7 carbon monosaccharide and the column separates out other 6 and 7 carbon monosaccharides from the matrices.

Currently, Ion Exchange Chromatography is used to isolate and measure the 7 carbon monosaccharide, but a better approach is desired due to complexity, equipment cost, maintenance time, and detector fragility.

Commercially-available enzymatic kits are commonly used in the food, juice, and wine industry. These kits are specific for the common C6 sugars and the end results are compared to a calibration curve from provided standards. Currently there are no known methods to enzymatically convert a 7 carbon monosaccharide that makes it detectable using a simple spectrophotometer.

Isolation of the sugar, using a solid phase extraction cartridge and determining volumetrically which portion contains the sugar, discarding the rest and reacting the aliquot of interest with copper sulfate and comparing this to an established calibration curve that involves a redox reaction. This approach must specifically measure only the targeted 7 carbon monosaccharide.

Isolation of the 7 carbon monosaccharide, using thin layer chromatography (TLC). Remove the portion which contains the sugar. Follow this isolation with redox reaction involving copper sulfate and comparing this to an established calibration curve. This approach must specifically measure only the targeted 7 carbon monosaccharide.


In terms of Intellectual Property position, the company would prefer technologies with patent protection but this is not compuslory.

The company is open to various types of partnerships.

Technical Specifications / Specific technical requirements:
The offered solution(s) should meet the following requirements:

- detection and quantization of a targeted 7 carbon monosaccharide in a raw material matrix (fruit) as well as in a final ingredient matrix (fruit sugar concentrate), even though other 7 carbon monosaccharides and reducing sugars may be present in these matrices.
- turnaround time of less than 24 hours (including equipment set up, calibration, and sample run time).
- preferably utilizes common lab equipment found in a food processing lab or plant.
- will support plant production runs by providing fast results allowing optimization of processing equipment "on the spot" and for stability assessments.

 

Patents/Rights:

Type of Organisation: