Determination of the total acidity through titration
This method is used to determine the total titratable acids in beverages and concentrates.
Titratable acidity represents the sum of the free acids present in a beverage, with the exception of the dissolved carbon dioxide (carbonic acid). In fruit juices and the beverages prepared from them, they usually consist of malic acid, citric acid and tartaric acid.
The titration of the degassed beverage sample (freed from carbonic acid) is carried out potentiometrically using 0.25 mol/l sodium hydroxide solution either to a pH of 7.0 calculated as tartaric acid or to a pH of 8.1 calculated as citric acid.
Determination of oxalic acid by enzymatic means
Suitable for malt, wort, beer, beer-based beverages and soft drinks
Oxalic acid is primarily derived from malt. By reacting with the calcium ions in the brewing liquor, haze caused by calcium oxalate can form. These crystals also serve as nucleation sites for the spontaneous and rapid release of carbon dioxide (gushing). The precise determination of oxalic acid is therefore of great importance in brewing technology.
Oxalic acid (oxalate) is oxidized to carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide by the enzyme oxalate oxidase.
\(\text{ Oxalate} \hspace{0.5em}^{\underrightarrow{oxalatoxidase}}\hspace{0.5em} H_2O_2\hspace{0.3em}{+}\hspace{0.3em}CO_2\)
In the presence of the enzyme peroxidase (POD), hydrogen peroxide reacts with MTBH (3-methyl-2-benzo thiazolinone hydrazone) and DMAB (3-dimethyl amino benzoic acid to form a blue quinone complex.
\(H_2O_2+MTBH+DMAB\hspace{0.8em}^{\underrightarrow{POD}} \hspace{0.8em} \text{quinone complex} \space + \space H_2O\)
The intensity of the color is proportional to the concentration of the oxalate in the sample and is measured at 590 nm.
Determination of the steam-volatile acids by means of titration
This method serves as a means for determining the titratable steam-volatile acids in beverages and concentrates
Volatile acids are distilled using steam, and the distillate is analyzed through titration. Sulfurous acid present in the distillate is determined iodometrically and subtracted from the total.
Determination of glucose and fructose by enzymatic means.
Suitable for beer, malt drinks, low-alcohol beer, beer-based mixed drinks, non-alcoholic soft drinks, NAB, fruit juices, soft drinks and other beverages.
Glucose and fructose are phosphorylated by the enzyme hexokinase (HK) and adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) to glucose 6-phosphate (G-6-P) and fructose 6-phosphate (F-6-P):
\(\text{Glucose + ATP} \space ^{\underrightarrow{\text{HK}}} \space \text{G-6-P + ADP}\)
\(\text{Fructose + ATP} \space ^{\underrightarrow{\text{HK}}} \space \text{F-6-P + ADP}\)
In the presence of the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6P-DH), G-6-P is oxidized from nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP+) to gluconate-6-phosphate. Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP + H+) is formed:
\(\text{G-6-P + NADP}^+ \space ^{\underrightarrow{\text{G6P-DH}}} \space \text{Gluconate-6-phosphate + NADPH + H}^+\)
The amount of NADP + H+ formed during the reaction is equivalent to the amount of glucose. NADPH + H+ is a measurand and is determined based on its absorbance at 340 nm.
After the reaction is complete, F-6-P is converted to G-6-P by phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI):
\(\text{F-6-P} \space ^{\underrightarrow{\text{PGI}}} \space \text{G-6-P}\)
The amount of NADPH + H+ formed during the reaction is equivalent to the amount of fructose. NADPH + H+ is the parameter being measured and is determined on the basis of its absorption at 340 nm.
G-6-P reacts in turn with NADP+ to form gluconate-6-phosphate and NADP + H+. The additional amount of NADP + H+ formed is equivalent to the amount of fructose and is determined photometrically based on its absorption at 340 nm.
Note:
Alternatively, NAD+/NAD + H+ can be used instead of NADP+/NADPH + H+:
\(\text{G-6-P + NAD}^+ \space ^{\underrightarrow{\text{G6P-DH}}} \space \text{Gluconate-6-Phosphate + NAD + H}^+\)
Determination of the concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide in carbonated beverages through titrimetry (dimensional analysis)
This method is suitable for determining the dissolved carbon dioxide in carbonated beverages for concentrations ranging from 0 to 8.4 g/l.
Through the addition of a sodium hydroxide solution, the carbon dioxide in beer becomes bound as sodium hydrogen carbonate or sodium carbonate. Sulfuric acid is added to an aliquot of the beer treated with sodium hydroxide. This causes the carbon dioxide to be released again, after which a stream of air conducts the carbon dioxide into a barium hydroxide solution. Through titration of the excess barium hydroxide, the carbon dioxide content of the beer can be determined [1].
Determination of the concentration of dissolved carbon dioxide in carbonated beverages in tanks, lines, bottles and cans by means of thermal conductivity
This analysis is suitable for dissolved carbon dioxide in carbonated beverages in concentrations ranging from 0–6.9 g/l.
The thermal conductivity is measured in a small chamber, which is in turn separated using a semi-permeable membrane from the medium being measured. The diffusion through the membrane alters the thermal conductivity in the measurement chamber. The gas volume in the measurement chamber is completely replaced in 10–20 s cycles. The changes in the thermal conductivity over time are a function of the quantity of CO2 diffusing across the membrane. Using this value and taking into account the temperature, the concentration in the medium being measured can be calculated. Other dissolved gases, such as nitrogen and oxygen, do not affect the result of the measurement, since either nitrogen or air is used to replace the gas in the measurement chamber [1].