Detection of Glucose, Galactose, and Lactose in Milk with a Microdialysis-Coupled Flow Injection Amperometric Sensor

¹ Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 227, Agricultural Engineering Building, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802

A microdialysis-coupled flow injection amperometric Sensor (µFIAS) was used to determine glucose, galactose, and lactose in milk. The sensor is based on enzyme-catalyzed reaction in combination with the three well-established analytical techniques, namely; microdialysis sampling, flow injection analysis (FIA), and amperometric detection. With the multianalyte sensor it was possible to detect glucose and galactose by sequential injection of their corresponding oxidase enzymes: glucose oxidase and galactose oxidase, while lactose was determined by injection of a mixture of beta-galactosidase and glucose oxidase enzymes. The sensor showed a linear response between 0.05 and 10 mM for glucose, between 0.1 and 20 mM for galactose and between 0.2 and 20 mM for lactose, respectively. The relative standard deviation values of the sensor measurements for glucose, galactose, and lactose were 3–4% (n = 33). The sensor measurements for lactose content in milk were compared with a standard method with an infrared spectrophotometer.

Key Words: lactose • milk • flow injection • sensor

Submitted on November 27, 2001
Accepted on January 18, 2002