Saccharide from a greek word meaning sugar

A disaccharide is a sugar (a carbohydrate) composed of two monosaccharides. It is formed

when two sugars are joined together and a molecule of water is removed. For example, milk
sugar (lactose) is made from glucose and galactose whereas cane sugar (sucrose) is made
from glucose and fructose. (made up of two monosaccharides)
Disaccharides are sugars or carbohydrates made by linking two monosaccharides. This occurs via a
dehydration reaction and a water of molecule is removed for each linkage.

Definition: A disaccharide is a carbohydrate that is formed when two monosaccharides are

joined together and a molecule of water is removed from the structure.

Examples: Lactose is a disaccharide formed from the combination of galactose and glucose.
Sucrose is a disaccharide formed from the combination of glucose and fructose.

Common disaccharides[edit]

Saccharose

Lactose
Maltose

The most common disaccharides are Sucrose, Lactose, and Maltose.

Sucrose is the sugar often found in the grocery store and is produced by plants. It is a sugar
derived from fructose and glucose. It is obtained from cane as a transport form of carbohydrates.

Lactose, found in milk, is formed by connecting -D-galactose and -D-glucose with a -1,4-
glycosidic bond.

Maltose is created by condensation reaction of the two glucoses, forming a -1,4-O-glycosidic

linkage. It is the second member of an important biochemical series of glucose chains. Maltose
can be broken down into two glucose molecules by hydrolysis. In living organisms, the enzyme
maltase can achieve this very rapidly.

Disaccharides are formed from two monosaccharides and can be classified as either reducing
or nonreducing. Nonreducing disaccharides like sucrose and trehalose have glycosidic
bonds between their anomeric carbons and thus cannot convert to an open-chain form with an
aldehyde group; they are stuck in the cyclic form. In chemistry, a glycosidic bond or
glycosidic linkage is a type of covalent bond that joins a carbohydrate (sugar) molecule to
another group, which may or may not be another carbohydrate.

Reducing Sugars[edit]
Most disaccharides are hemiacetals. Hemiacetals contain a free aldehyde to be oxidized into
carboxylic acid. These are classified as reducing sugar. For example: maltose, lactose.

ENZYME
DISACCHARIDE STRUCTURE required for Kcal/gFOODS high in disaccharides
digestion
 Table sugar, molasses, maple syrup,
Sucrose (saccharose, Glucose +
Sucrase 3.9 fondant, cakes, candies, chocolate, ice
table sugar) fructose
cream, fruits, honey

Glucose + Milk, ice cream, infant formula, milk

Lactose (milk sugar) Lactase 3.9
galactose chocolate, milk candies, certain pills

Spelt, kamut, sweet potatoes, barley

Glucose + Maltase,
Maltose (malt sugar) 4 malt syrup, high maltose corn syrup
glucose isomaltase
(HMCS), beer, or produced from corn

Sucrose (saccharose)

glucose + fructose
Sucrose is table sugar. It is purified from sugar cane or sugar beets.

Maltose

glucose + glucose
Maltose is a sugar found in some cereals and candies. It is a product of starch digestions and may
be purified from barley and other grains.

Lactose

galactose + glucose
Lactose is a disaccharide found in milk. It has the formula C12H22O11 and is an isomer of sucrose.

Sugars are soluble in water because they contain polar parts such as -OH groups. Mono
saccharides and disaccharides are small enough to disolve readily in water while
polysaccharides such as starch, glucogen and cellulose are not due to their size and polymeric
character