Determination of saccharin, sodium benzoate, and caffeine in beverages by reverse phase high-pressure liquid chromatography.

A reverse phase high-pressure liquid chromatographic method is presented for the simultaneous separation and determination of sacchrain, sodium benzoate, and caffeine in soft drinks, fruit juices, fruit cocktails, fruit punches, coffee, and artificial sweetener concentrates. Decarbonated soft drinks, fruit punches, and artificial sweetener concentrates are injected directly into the chromatograph. Fruit juices and coffee solutions require filtration through a 0.45 mum pore membrane filter prior to injection. Samples are eluted from a mu-Bondapak/C18 column with 5% glacial acetic acid and are quantitated with an ultraviolet detector. The results of saccharin, sodium benzoate, and caffeine determinations in 34 soft drinks (representing 11 manufacturers and 20 flavors); 8 fruit juices, cocktails, and punches; 7 coffees; and 6 artificial sweetener concentrates are presented. Average recoveries of saccharin, sodium benzoate, and caffeine from soft drinks are 99.0, 99.3, and 100.2%, respectively.