Determination of the dissolved nitrogen (N2) content using heat conductivity in carbonated and non-carbonated beverages that have been nitrogenated
This analysis is suitable for determining the concentration of dissolved nitrogen (N2) in carbonated and non-carbonated beverages that have been nitrogenated.
Dissolved nitrogen in a liquid medium is measured using the same procedure as the CO2 determination, i.e., using heat conductivity.
CO2 is employed as a purge gas in the beverage industry. Therefore, in order to measure nitrogen, the change in thermal activity and CO2 and N2 is used. The thermal conductivity is determined in a small measurement chamber, which in turn is separated from the material being measured by a semipermeable membrane. Diffusion through the membrane changes the thermal conductivity in the measurement chamber.
The gas volume in the measurement chamber is fully replaced in cycles of 10–20 s. The changes in thermal conductivity over time are a measure of the diffusion of N2 through the membrane, which allows the concentration in the medium to be calculated, taking temperature into account.
The calculation for the concentration of N2 is achieved using the change in thermal conductivity in the measurement chamber, also taking the temperature into account.
Since the thermal conductivity of oxygen is similar to that of nitrogen, a second channel may need to be used to compensate for any oxygen in the medium [1].
Determination of glucose by enzymatic means
Suitable for beers, mixed beer beverages, malt beverages and NAB
Glucose is phosphorylated by the enzyme hexokinase (HK) and adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) to glucose 6-phosphate (G-6-P)
\(\text{Glucose + ATP} \space ^{\underrightarrow{\text{HK}}} \space \text{G-6-P + ADP}\)
In the presence of the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6P-DH), G-6-P is oxidized by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) to gluconate-6-phosphate. Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) is formed:
\(\text{G-6-P + NADP} \space ^{\underrightarrow{\text{G6P-DH}}} \space \text{gluconate-6-phosphate + NADP + H}^+\)
The amount of NADPH formed during the reaction is equivalent to the amount of glucose. NADPH is determined based upon its absorbance at 334, 340 or 365 nm.
Determination of glucose and fructose by enzymatic means
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):
Glucose + ATP \(^{\underrightarrow{HK}}\) G-6-P + ADP
Fructose + ATP \(^{\underrightarrow{HK}}\) 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 (NADPH) is formed:
\(\text{G-6-P}\hspace{0.2em}+\hspace{0.2em}\text{NADP}\hspace{0.8em}^{\underrightarrow{\text{G6P–DH}}}\hspace{0.8em} \text{glucanate-6-phosphate} + \text{NADP}+\text{H}^+\)
The amount of NADPH formed during the reaction is equivalent to the amount of glucose. NADPH is a measurand and is determined based on its absorbance at 334, 340 or 365 nm.
After the reaction is complete, F-6-P is converted to G-6-P by phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI):
F-6-P \(^{\underrightarrow{PGI}}\) G-6-P
G-6-P reacts in turn with NADP to form gluconate-6-phosphate and NADPH. The additional amount of NADPH formed is equivalent to the amount of fructose and is determined photometrically based on its absorption at 334, 340 or 365 nm.
Determination of glucose, fructose, sucrose by enzymatic means
Suitable for wort, beer, malt beverages, nutritive beer, beer-based beverages, NAB, juices and beverages
The D-glucose content is determined before and after enzymatic hydrolysis of sucrose. D-fructose is measured following D-glucose determination.
D-glucose determination before inversion:
Glucose is phosphorylated by the enzyme hexokinase (HK) and adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) to glucose 6-phosphate (G-6-P):
\(\text{Glucose + ATP} \space ^{\underrightarrow{\text{HK}}} \space \text{G-6-P + ADP}\)
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 (NADPH) is formed:
\(\text{G-6-P + NADP} \space ^{\underrightarrow{\text{G6P-DH}}} \space \text{gluconate-6-phosphate + NADP + H}^+\)
The amount of NADPH formed during the reaction is equivalent to the amount of glucose. NADPH is measurand and is determined based on its absorbance at 334, 340 or 365 nm.
D-fructose determination:
Hexokinase catalyzes the phosphorylation of D-fructose with ATP to D-fructose-6-phosphate.
\(\text{Fructose + ATP} \space ^{\underrightarrow{\text{HK}}} \space \text{F-6-P + ADP}\)
After the reaction is complete, F-6-P is converted to G-6-P by phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI):
\(\text{F-6-P} \space ^{\underrightarrow{\text{PGI}}} \space \text{G-6-P}\)
G-6-P reacts in turn with NADP to form gluconate-6-phosphate and NADPH. The additional amount of NADPH formed is equivalent to the amount of fructose and is determined photometrically based on its absorbance at 334, 340 or 365 nm.
Enzymatic inversion:
Sucrose is hydrolyzed to glucose and fructose by the enzyme β-fructosidase (invertase) at pH 4.6:
\(\text{Sucrose}+H_2O\hspace{0.8em} ^{\underrightarrow{\text{B-fructosidase}}} \hspace{0.8em} \text{glucose + fructose}\)
The D-glucose determination after inversion (total D-glucose) is carried out as described above.
The sucrose content is calculated from the difference between the glucose concentration before and after enzymatic inversion.
Determination of sucrose by enzymatic means
Suitable for wort, beer, malt beverages, nutrient beer, mixed beer beverages, NAB, juices and beverages
Sucrose is important as a fermentable sugar for the technology of wort and beer production. Sucrose also plays a role in the evaluation and assessment of malt beverages and nutritional beers.
D-glucose content is determined before and after enzymatic hydrolysis of sucrose.
Sucrose is hydrolyzed by the enzyme β-fructosidase (invertase) at pH 4.6 to glucose and fructose:
\(\text{Sucrose + } H_2O \space {\xrightarrow{β-fructosidase}} \space \text{D-glucose + D-fructose}\)
Glucose is phosphorylated by the enzyme hexokinase (HK) and adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) to glucose 6-phosphate (G-6-P):
\(\text{Glucose}+\text{ATP} \space \xrightarrow{HK} \space \text{G-6-P + ADP}\)
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 (NADPH) is formed:
\(\text{G-6-P + NADP} \hspace{0.8em} \xrightarrow{G6P-DH} \hspace{0.8em} \text{gluconate-6-phosphate + NADP + H}^+\)
The amount of NADPH formed during the reaction is equivalent to the amount of glucose. NADPH is a measurand and is determined on the basis of its absorbance at 334, 340 or 365 nm.
The sucrose content is calculated from the difference between the glucose concentration before and after enzymatic inversion.
Determination of maltose and maltotriose by enzymatic means
Suitable for wort, beer, malt beverages, nutrient beer, mixed beer beverages, NAB, juices and beverages.
Maltose is the main component of beer wort or wort extract.
Maltose and sucrose are cleaved by the enzyme α-glucosidase (maltase) at pH 6.6 into two molecules of D-glucose and D-fructose, respectively:
\(\text{Maltose}+H_2O \hspace{0.8em} \xrightarrow{α–glucosidase} \hspace{0.8em} {2 \hspace{0.2em} \text{D–glucose}}\)
\(\text{Sucrose}+H_2O \hspace{0.8em} \xrightarrow{α–glucosidase} \hspace{0.8em} {\text{D–glucose}+\text{D–fructose}}\)
The D-glucose formed is phosphorylated by the enzyme hexokinase (HK) and adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) to glucose 6-phosphate (G-6-P):
\(\text{Glucose}+\text{ATP} \hspace{0.8em} \xrightarrow{HK} \hspace{0.8em} \text{G-6-P} \hspace{0.2em} + \hspace{0.2em} \text{ADP}\)
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 (NADPH) is formed:
\(\text{G-6-P} \hspace{0.2em} + \hspace{0.2em} \text{NADP}^+ \hspace{0.8em} \xrightarrow{G6P-DH} \hspace{0.8em} \text{gluconate-6-phosphate} \hspace{0.2em} + \hspace{0.2em} \text{NADP}^+ \hspace{0.2em} + \hspace{0.2em} \text{H}^+\)
The amount of NADPH formed during the reaction is equivalent to the amount of glucose. NADPH is measurand and is determined based on its absorbance at 334, 340 or 365 nm.
The enzyme α-glucosidase is group specific, i.e., the specificity is directed to the type of glycosidic bond.
Only α-1,4 bonds, i.e., in addition to maltose, sucrose and maltotriose, but not maltotetraose, are cleaved under the given conditions. Therefore, the sucrose content must be taken into account in the maltose calculation (the maltose approach records the glucose formed from maltose and sucrose and the free glucose, the sucrose approach records the glucose formed from sucrose and the free glucose).