In my thesis, I analyzed various samples of confectionery ingredients and investigated
the presence of individual crystalline phases. For this purpose, I used the X-ray powder
diffraction method, which is one of the fundamental techniques for the characterization
of crystalline solids. When such samples are irradiated with X-ray radiation, a diffraction
pattern characteristic of the solid, known as a powder pattern, is obtained. The image
obtained is called a diffractogram and is characteristic of each crystalline substance, much
like a fingerprint is characteristic of a human being.
During data processing, I used two computer programs that enable systematic comparison
of the measurements with existing standards. I found that most of the analyzed products
contain at least one type of sugar, most commonly sucrose, and often lactose and D-
glucose hydrate, or a sugar substitute. Some of the declared ingredients could not be
detected, which is due either to their very low content or to the lack of appropriate
standards in the database.
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