An infrared spectroscopic tool for process monitoring: Sugar contents during the production of a depilatory formulation

► Feasibility study for development of an IR-based at-line process monitoring tool. ► Monitoring of a cosmetics production process employing ATR-FTIR and PLS. ► Direct determination of fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose and maltotriose. ► Significantly faster in comparison to a chromatographic reference method. ► RMSEPs below or equal to 3.04 mg mL−1 after careful variable selection.