ISO 10504:2013

Overview

ISO 10504:2013 specifies a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for determining the composition of starch-derived syrups and related polyols. The standard covers analysis of dextrose solutions, glucose syrups, fructose-containing syrups, hydrogenated glucose syrups (sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol), and malto-oligosaccharides. Separation is achieved on a cation-exchange column with water as eluent and detection by a thermostatted differential refractometer.

Key search terms: ISO 10504:2013, HPLC method, glucose syrups analysis, starch derivatives, cation-exchange column.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Analytical principle: Separation of saccharides on a cation-exchange resin (water eluent); detection by differential refractometry and quantification via electronic integrator.
• Column requirement: Use of a pre-packed cation-exchange column is essential (recommended resin: 6–8% cross-linked sulfonated polystyrene-divinylbenzene; bead size 9–25 µm). Choice of cation form (Ca2+, K+, Na+) can affect resolution (e.g., maltose vs maltotriose).
• Instrumentation: Pulseless pump, thermostatted column oven (up to 95 °C ±0.5 °C), differential refractometer, loop injector (≤20 µL), electronic integrator.
• Sample preparation: Removal of salts by in-line guard cartridges or off-line ion-exchange resins; filtration (0.45 µm or 0.22 µm if necessary); dilution to appropriate concentration and degassed high-purity water (ISO 3696 grade 1).
• Calibration and calculation: Use of primary standard mixtures, determination of response factors (rx = mx/ax), normalized area percentage reporting, rounding to one decimal place. When system response is optimal, a response factor of unity may be applied.
• Quality and performance: The standard provides precision data-repeatability and reproducibility limits-for typical syrup types and analytes (examples: repeatability for Dextrose 95 ≈ 0.90 g/100 g; reproducibility ≈ 1.70 g/100 g).

Applications and practical value

• Routine quality control and specification testing of glucose and fructose syrups.
• Quantification of sugars and hydrogenated products for labelling compliance, process monitoring and R&D.
• Verification of syrup composition in food ingredient supply chains, sweetener manufacturing and analytical contract laboratories.
• Method harmonization across laboratories for comparative testing and regulatory reporting.

Who should use this standard

• Food and beverage analytical laboratories
• Syrup and sweetener manufacturers
• Regulatory and standards bodies
• Research laboratories working on starch hydrolysates and polyols
• Contract testing labs offering HPLC sugar analyses

Related standards

• ISO 3696: Water for analytical laboratory use - Specification and test methods
• ISO 5381: Starch hydrolysis products - Determination of water content - Modified Karl Fischer method

ISO 10504:2013 is a practical, reproducible HPLC protocol for accurate composition analysis of starch-derived syrups and hydrogenated products, emphasizing cation-exchange chromatography, sample demineralization, and validated precision limits.