Effect of amorphization method on the physicochemical properties of amorphous sucrose

Authors: MORROW, ELIZABETH - University Of Illinois; TERBAN, MAXWELL - Columbia University; THOMAS, LEONARD - Dsc Solutions, Llc; GRAY, DANIELLE - University Of Illinois; Bowman, Michael; BILLINGE, SIMON - Columbia University - New York; SCHMIDT, SHELLY - University Of Illinois

Submitted to: Journal of Food Engineering
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/30/2018
Publication Date: 8/31/2018
Citation: Morrow, E.A., Terban, M.W., Thomas, L.C., Gray, D.L., Bowman, M.J., Billinge, S.L., Schmidt, S.J. 2018. Effect of amorphization method on the physicochemical properties of amorphous sucrose. Journal of Food Engineering. 243:125-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2018.08.036.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2018.08.036

Interpretive Summary: Sucrose exists in the amorphous state in numerous low-moisture food and pharmaceutical products. The amorphous state provides these products with several advantageous physical properties, such as desirable textural attributes, high dissolution rate, and high solubility. Amorphous sucrose can be prepared by a number of different methods, including melt-quenching, spin-melt-quenching, freeze-drying, spray-drying, and ball milling. The method of preparation gives rise to amorphous materials with differing properties. Determining the factors that influence physiochemical properties of amorphous sucrose is of importance to food and pharmaceutical companies. The methods used will be applicable to additional carbohydrate products with applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Technical Abstract: Our objective was to characterize the physicochemical properties of amorphous sucrose prepared by freeze-drying (FreD), spray-drying (SprayD), ball milling (BallM), melt-quenching (MeltQ), and spin-melt-quenching (SpinMeltQ). Scanning electron microscopy indicated that FreD, SprayD, BallM, and SpinMeltQ formed distinct particles, while MeltQ formed a single mass. Powder X-ray diffraction confirmed that BallM was semi-crystalline, while FreD, SprayD, MeltQ, and SpinMeltQ were amorphous. However, total scattering pair distribution function analysis of synchrotron X-ray diffraction data suggested that subtle local molecular-level ordering differences existed between MeltQ and FreD, SprayD, and SpinMeltQ. Chromatographic analyses revealed that thermal decomposition indicator compounds were present in BallM, MeltQ, and SpinMeltQ, but not in FreD and SprayD. All samples exhibited a glass transition. Additionally, FreD, SprayD, BallM, and SpinMeltQ exhibited an exothermic cold crystallization peak, but MeltQ did not. Overall, this research provides evidence that sucrose is a material whose physicochemical properties are strongly influenced by amorphization method.