Determination of Chemical Species in Food

In this work, analytical methods based on the concept of multicommutation were developed for analysing chemical species in food. To this end, two materials were synthesised: a coordination compound used as a solid phase in the determination of reducing sugars and a silica network used as a preconcentration resin for perchlorates. The copper (II) - 4,4 '- bipyridine coordination compound was used to develop the method for determining reducing sugars in coconut water and juices using a multicommutated flow system with spectrophotometric detection. The analysis methodology was based on the oxy-reduction reaction in an alkaline medium between the solid reagent and the reducing sugars. The reaction between the solid phase (coloured blue) and (glucose + fructose) results in a yellowish product, monitored at 420 nm. The solid phase was set at 50 mg and a temperature of 90ºC.