Short-Wavelength Near-Infrared Spectra of Sucrose, Glucose, and Fructose with Respect to Sugar Concentration and Temperature

Short-wavelength near-infrared (SW-NIR) (700–1100 nm) spectra of aqueous solutions of sucrose, d-glucose, and d-fructose were monitored with respect to change in temperature and sugar concentration. Sugar OH and CH related vibrations were identified by analysis of the spectra of sugar solutions in deuterium oxide (D2O), and of sucrose- d8 solutions in D2O. Absorption spectra were explained in terms of the second and third overtones of OH stretching vibrations and the third overtone of CH2 and CH stretchings. In deuterated solutions, CH and CH2 higher overtone vibration bands became apparent. The major spectral effect of decreased temperature or increased sugar concentration was a decrease in absorbance at 960 nm and an increase in absorbance at 984 nm, interpreted as an increase in the degree of H bonding. Partial least-squares (PLS) calibrations on sugar concentrations (with spectra collected at several sample temperatures) relied strongly on the 910 nm sugar CH related bands, whereas calibrations on temperature depended equally on all OH associated vibrations (750, 840, 960, and 985 nm).