Development of Reference Material of White Granulated Sugar.

Background: White granulated sugar, a significant commodity in bulk trade and widely used raw material, plays a crucial role in the food, energy, and medicine industries. A certified reference material (CRM) of white granulated sugar provides a valuable tool for monitoring and maintaining the safety and quality of white granulated sugar and other related products. The colorimetric value, conductivity ash, sucrose content, and reducing sugar content serve as essential factors that determine the quality of white granulated sugar.

Objective: Develop a CRM of grade one white granulated sugar, conduct a comprehensive study to assess its homogeneity and stability, and determine the designated property values.

Methods: Collaborative certification across 11 laboratories was applied to validate its property values and evaluate corresponding uncertainties.

Results: The designated property values and expanded uncertainties (k = 2) determined to be 75.6 ± 2.8 IU, 0.0100 ± 0.0004 g/100g, 99.71 ± 0.08 g/100g, and 0.0226 ± 0.0024 g/100g for colorimetric value, conductivity ash, sucrose content, and reducing sugar content, respectively.

Conclusion: The reference material (RM) was sufficiently homogeneous between and within bottles and remained stable for up to 20 months.

Highlights: The developed RM of the grade one white granulated sugar could be an effective support for method validation, capability validation, quality control, and metrological traceability in the sugar and food industries.