Routine-tested sterol analysis
An essential parameter for the purity and quality of edible oils is the composition of the sterols they contain. Due to the many manual steps involved, the procedure for determining the total sterol content described in ISO 12228 is time-consuming and prone to error. With the CHRONECT Workstation Sterols this analysis is fully automated. It is based on the LC-GC technology, which is also the core of the CHRONECT Workstation MOSH/MOAH and which is in routine use in many laboratories.
How it works
Only the modular concept of the CHRONECT Robotic Autosampler with several different syringes allows a complete automation. Sample saponification and other preparations are carried out fully automated. One syringe is used to dose the reagents necessary for saponification. Another smaller syringe carries out the injection into the HPLC.
The subsequent purification is performed by HPLC, which is directly coupled with GC-FID detection. The HPLC fraction containing the sterols is specifically transferred to the gas chromatographic system. The upstream LC eliminates the need for preparative thin layer chromatography. All interfering components are thus elegantly separated and can be kept away from the GC.
The software platform CHRONOS allows a user-friendly operation and the integration of different HPLC or GC systems.
Reproducible results
Extensive validation took place in customer laboratories. By comparing numerous samples with known sterol content and distribution, it was verified that the presented method is precise and gives reproducible results. The analytical parameters of the method are equal or superior to those of the ISO method in all points.
Determination of the egg content of food
In order to be able to measure the sterol cholesterol not only in edible oils but also in food samples directly, this workstation was advanced to the CHRONECT Workstation Cholesterol. With it, the egg content in food can be measured as a quality-determining parameter after grinding the sample without further manual preparation.