1.2 carbohydrates - monosaccharides

• Carbohydrates are carbon molecules combined with water.
• In carbohydrates, the basic monomer unit is a sugar, also known as a saccharide.
• a single monomer of a carbohydrate is known as a monosacccharide.
• A pair of monosaccharides can be combined to form a disaccharide.
• Monosaccharides can be combined in larger numbers to form polysaccharides.
• Monosaccharides have the general formula (CH2O)n where n can be any number from 3 to 7
• Alpha Glucose

  
• Beta Glucose

  
• Examples of monosaccharides:

  1. glucose
  2. galactose
  3. fructose
• All monosaccharides and some disaccharides are reducing sugars.
• The test for reducing sugars uses Benedict’s reagent.
• Testing for reducing sugars:

  1. Food sample dissolved in water
  2. equal volume of Benedict’s reagent
  3. heat
  4. Positive result: blue to brick-red