Application of Sandpaper Spray Mass Spectrometry (SPS‐MS) for the Recognition of Sweeteners in Candies and Gums

The detection of sweeteners in complex food matrices remains analytically challenging. The present study evaluates sandpaper spray mass spectrometry (SPS‐MS) as a rapid, direct, no‐sample‐preparation screening approach for sugar‐free candies and chewing gums. Analyses were performed in positive‐ion mode using an ion trap mass spectrometer, with sweeteners (the polyol compounds mannitol and isomalt) detected as alkali–metal adducts. Distinct spectral profiles enabled clear, straightforward differentiation between sugar‐free and sugar‐containing candies and chewing gums. These results demonstrate that SPS‐MS provides a simple and fast method for qualitative screening of sweeteners, supporting its applications in food quality control and compositional verification.