Determination of the water content in different sugar syrups by halogen drying

Sugars are heat sensitive. The determination of the water content by drying methods is therefore problematic, particularly when vigorous heating principles are used. A method is described for determining the water content of invert sugar and fructose syrups by halogen drying, a new variation of infrared drying. Parameter sets could be found in a way that the mass loss measured corresponded to the water content found by Karl Fischer titration that served as reference method. In these situations two opposed sources of error account for each other, the additional determination of other volatiles than water formed by the heat treatment on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the non-detection of strongly bound water or water trapped in the sample by a crust formed on the sample surface at the end of the drying process.