METHOD 11:2

Printed with effect from 1st January 2003

REDUCING SUGARS (INVERT) IN CANE AND BEET MOLASSES AFTER INVERSION

(SUCROSE CALCULATION)

INTRODUCTION

The total invert of molasses generally covers the range of 50 to 62%. The use of a 0.5% w/v
molasses solution allows for total invert content of 80% for a titre of 25cm3 to 40% when the titre is
50cm3.

1: APPARATUS
In addition to the apparatus used for the determination of invert, (relates to GAFTA
Method 11:4:1) the following items are required:
1:1 Water bath maintained at 60oC +1oC
1:2 Lead rings or other weighting devices to maintain inversion flask in a fixed position in the
water bath.
1:3 Burette Capacity: 10cm3

2: REAGENTS
The following reagents are required in addition to those given for the determination of
invert (relates to GAFTA Method 11:4:1).
2:1 Hydrochloric acid 6.34M. Dilute 544cm3 concentrated hydrochloric acid to 1 litre with
distilled water.
2:2 Sodium hydroxide solution 8g/100cm3 approximately 2M prepared by weighing 80g of
sodium hydroxide and dissolving in about 500cm3 of water. The solution is cooled, and
made up to 1 litre with water.
2:3 Hydrochloric acid (approximately 0.5M). Prepared by diluting 1M hydrochloric acid with
an equal volume of water, or alternatively, diluting 3.9cm3 of the concentrated acid to 1
litre.

3: PROCEDURE
Preparation of inverted molasses solution.
3:1 The test solution should have a concentration of 0.5% w/v with respect to the molasses.
Pipette 25cm3 of the 5% w/v molasses solution, initially prepared for the invert test into a
250cm3 volumetric flask. Add 5cm3 of the 6.34M hydrochloric acid from the 10cm3
burette agitating the solution gently to prevent local acid concentration in the solution.
3:2 The flask is then immersed in the water bath and slowly swirled for 3 minutes to raise the
temperature of the acidified molasses as rapidly as possible. The weighting device (lead
ring) is placed round the neck of the flask, which is allowed to stand in the water bath for a
further 12 minutes. During the standing period the flask should not be allowed to contact
any part of the heating surface of the water bath. A suitable spacing arrangement to
prevent this occurrence should be incorporated into the water bath.
3:3 Remove the flask from the bath and, after taking off the weighting device, cool the
contents rapidly by holding the flask in cold running water. Dilute the solution to
approximately 125cm3 and add a few drops of phenolphthalein solution. Then add

11:2/1
 sufficient 2M sodium hydroxide solution to impart a reddish colour to the solution.
During the alkali addition the solution should be gently agitated.

The red colour of the solution is then discharged by the addition of a few drops of 0.5M
hydrochloric acid.
3:4 Add 4.0cm3 of the EDTA solution, mix the solution well and finally make up to volume
with water at the appropriate temperature and mix. This solution is equivalent to 0.5%
w/v molasses.

4: TITRATION OF INVERTED MOLASSES SOLUTION

Follow the steps 3:5 to 3:9 in GAFTA Method 11:4.

CALCULATION
The calculation is similar to GAFTA Method 11:4 but as the test solution is free of
sucrose, no sucrose factor applied.

The total invert, in terms of percentage is given by:

1000 or 2000
0.5 x T T
An appropriate correction should be made for the Fehling's solution being other than
exactly standard.
The results obtained from determination of both the initial invert and total invert can be
used in different ways according to requirements.

Total Sugars As Invert (T.S.A.I.)

This figure is obtained directly by this method.

Total Sugars As Sucrose (T.S.A.S.)

This figure is obtained from T.S.A.I. by multiplying by 0.95.

Total Sugars as Sucrose + Invert (T.S. Actual)

This figure is calculated from the results of total invert and initial invert as follows:
Total Sugars = 0.95 T.S.A.I. - Initial + Initial
(Actual) (Invert) Invert

Sucrose Only
Sucrose = 0.95 (T.S.A.I.- Initial Invert).

NOTE
1: Because of the higher level of invert in High Test Molasses after hydrolysis, the
procedure for preparation of the solution should be modified as follows. Pipette 25cm3 of
4% w/v solution of the High Test Molasses originally prepared for the direct invert
determination and treat this as cane for molasses (3.1 - 3.3) except that 2cm3 of E.D.T.S.
solution should be added before finally making up to volume to give a 0.4% w/v solution
for titration.

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