A Comparative Analysis of Methods for Quantitation of Sugars during the Corn-to-Ethanol Fermentation Process.

The quantitation of sugars, including glucose, the primary fermentable sugar; maltose (DP2); and maltotriose (DP3), is a standard procedure during the corn-to-ethanol fermentation process. The quantitation of glucose by the Megazyme Assay utilizing glucose oxidase and peroxidase enzymes (GOPOD) and UV-Vis detection, high-performance liquid chromatography with refractive index detection (HPLC-RID), and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with electrospray ionization (ESI) and selected ion monitoring (SIM) was studied. Three biological flask fermentation replicates were analyzed every 12 h beginning at 14 h of fermentation (T14) until near completion of fermentation (T62).