Shodex Column Recommendation for Sugar Analysis in Dairy Products

Record: 790

Category: Column Selection
Product: VG-50 4E, VG-25 4D
Sample: Sugars

Question
A customer is looking for a column to analyze sugars in dairy products.
They want to separate the following sugars:
a) Glucose
b) Galactose
c) Fructose
d) Maltose
e) Sucrose
f) Lactose
g) Maltodextrin

What would be the best Shodex column for this type of sugar analysis?

Answer

For comprehensive sugar profiling in dairy samples, we recommend the Shodex HILICpak VG series, which includes VG-50 4E and VG-25 4D. Both are polymer-based HILIC columns designed specifically for carbohydrate separations, with excellent stability and LC-MS compatibility.

The HILICpak VG-50 4E has a larger pore size that improves elution and peak shape for higher-molecular-weight sugars such as maltodextrins. It was specifically designed to minimize unwanted interactions between reducing sugars and the packing material — an issue commonly seen with amino-bonded columns like NH2P, which can form Schiff bases. With its neutral polymeric surface, the VG-50 4E offers stable, reproducible performance for a wide range of sugars including mono-, di-, and oligosaccharides in complex food or dairy matrices. In addition, its 5 µm particle size provides lower backpressure than the VG-25, making it compatible with standard HPLC systems.

Key Applications: 

• Monosaccharides and Disaccharides (5) – VG-50 4E
• Simultaneous Analysis of 15 Components (Mono-, Di-, and Oligosaccharides) – VG-50 4E
• Simultaneous Analysis of Lactose, Epilactose, and Lactulose – VG-50 4E
• Elution Volume of Saccharides – VG-50 4E

The HILICpak VG-25 4D features a smaller 2.5 µm particle size, providing high efficiency and excellent resolution, particularly for closely eluting monosaccharides such as glucose and galactose. It is ideal for detailed analysis of mono- and disaccharides when fine resolution is critical. Because of the smaller particle size, the VG-25 4D operates at a higher backpressure, making it best suited for UHPLC or modern HPLC systems that can accommodate elevated system pressures.

Key Applications:

• Monosaccharides and Disaccharides (8) – VG-25 4D
• Analysis of Maltodextrin (2) – VG-25 4D
• Pittcon 2025 Poster – VG-25 4D for Sugar Analysis

In short:

• Choose VG-25 4D when you need maximum resolution and can tolerate higher backpressure.
• Choose VG-50 4E when analyzing reducing sugars or larger saccharides and prefer lower backpressure.

Additional Comments

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