D- and L-lactate determination in dairy products: presentation of a fast automated analysis system.

A flow-injection system is presented, which is versatile, automated and has an integrated enzyme system. Its efficiency at determining D- and L-lactate separately in dairy products is compared with the officially used reference method (DIN 10335). By means of a mathematical elimination of matrix effects, the pretreatment steps can be clearly reduced. As a result of the immobilization of the enzymes, an appropriate automation software and an adaptation of the system developed to the given medium, the analysis could be performed within 5 min and was distinctly cheaper than alternative methods. The values determined in 15 different dairy products deviated from those of the reference method by 3% at a maximum.