Page 344 - Analytical method for food addtives

E954: Saccharin 231

They were developed in the 1980s and there are no performance characteristics
available for them. However, performance characteristics are available for all the
three European Standards. They are the following:
1 BS EN 1376:1997. The spectrometric method for the determination of sodium
saccharin and saccharin content in solid table-top sweetener preparations
prepared from cyclamates/saccharin or saccharin has been collaboratively
1
tested on sweetener tablets. A sample test solution is prepared by dissolving
table-top sweetener in sodium hydroxide solution with photometric determi-
nation of the sodium saccharin content at the absorption maximum of about
265 nm. A summary of the procedure for this method is given in the Appendix
and the performance characteristics are given in Table 26.3.
2 BS EN 1379:1997. The high performance liquid chromatography method for
the determination of sodium cyclamate and saccharin in liquid table-top
sweetener preparations has been collaboratively tested on liquid sweetener
12
preparation. The method involves the determination of sodium cyclamate,
saccharin and sorbic acid in an appropriate dilution of a liquid table-top
sweetener preparation in water by HPLC and subsequent photometric detection
in the ultraviolet (UV) range with identification on the basis of the retention
times, and quantitative determination by the external standard method using
peak areas or peak heights. A summary of the procedure for this method is given
in the Appendix and a summary of the statistical parameters in Table 26.4.
3 BS EN 12856:1999. The high performance liquid chromatography method for
the determination of acesulphame-K, aspartame and saccharin in foodstuffs
13
has been collaboratively tested on foods. The sample is extracted or diluted
with water. If necessary, the sample solution with the intense sweeteners is
purified on a solid phase extraction column or with Carrez reagents. The
intense sweeteners in the sample test solution are separated on an HPLC-
reversed phase chromatography column and determined spectrometrically at
a wavelength of 220 nm. A summary of the procedure for this method is given
in the Appendix with a summary of the statistical parameters in Table 26.5.
Another suitable liquid chromatography method for the determination of benzoate,
caffeine and saccharin beverages based on the Official AOAC Method 979.08 16
has been collaboratively tested on beverages, sweets and desserts. 17,18 The sample
is decarbonated and filtered for beverages and extracted with ethanol for sweets
prior to LC. The sample test solution is separated on an HPLC-reversed phase
chromatography column with UV detection at 254 nm. A summary of the procedure
for this method is given in the Appendix and a summary of the statistical
parameters in Tables 26.6 and 26.7.

26.3 Recommendations
There are many methods available for the analysis of saccharin in foods and the
decision as to which one should be used depends on the expected level of saccharin