ABSTRACT
Carbohydrates are one of the major components in milk and dairy products, along with lipids and proteins. The carbohydrate fraction of milk comprises a complex mixture of mono-, di- and oligosaccharides, of which lactose is the major constituent in most mammalian species. Therefore, the determination of this disaccharide is a basic indicator for quality control. On the other hand, during heat treatment of milk, lactose is partially transformed into lactulose, which may, in turn, be degraded/transformed to give other carbohydrates, whose determination is also important for the distinction between different types of processed milks. Therefore, there is a considerable incentive to improve chemical and instrumental methods of analysis for the rapid determination of lactose, as well as for a detailed analysis of the complex carbohydrate fraction present in dairy products. Hence, a considerable number of methods for the determination of carbohydrates in milk and dairy products have been developed, ranging from early classical procedures to state-of-the-art advanced instrumental techniques. Their applications in the field of this type of foods are discussed in detail in this chapter.
