ABSTRACT
Carbohydrates, which in their basic form exhibit the general chemical formula Cn(H2O)n, are a class of organic compounds that were historically designated “hydrates of carbon” due to their observed elemental composition. As
the most abundant class of organic compounds on Earth, carbohydrates are the primary constituents of plants and exoskeletons of crustaceans and insects. Therefore, carbohydrates are virtually an unavoidable element of daily life, as they are encountered in food (glucose, sucrose, starch, etc.), wood, paper, and cotton (cellulose). Carbohydrates
I. Introduction to Carbohydrates ................................................................................................................................1-1 II. Monosaccharides ....................................................................................................................................................1-2 III. Reactions of Carbohydrates ....................................................................................................................................1-5
A. Hydrolysis ........................................................................................................................................................1-5 B. Oxidation/Reduction ........................................................................................................................................1-5 C. Thermal Reactions ..........................................................................................................................................1-5 D. Ester/Ether Formation......................................................................................................................................1-6
IV. Oligosaccharides......................................................................................................................................................1-7 A. Disaccharides ..................................................................................................................................................1-7 B. Fructooligosaccharides ....................................................................................................................................1-8
V. Polysaccharides........................................................................................................................................................1-9 A. Classification of Polysaccharides ....................................................................................................................1-9 B. Structural Regimes of Polysaccharides ........................................................................................................1-10 C. Impact of Polysaccharide Molecular Features on Physical Properties ........................................................1-12 D. Polysaccharide Stability and Reactivity ........................................................................................................1-15
VI. Polysaccharide Structures and Functions ..............................................................................................................1-15 A. Starch and Its Derivatives ..............................................................................................................................1-15 B. Cellulosics......................................................................................................................................................1-17 C. Galactomannans: Locust Bean and Guar Gums............................................................................................1-18 D. Alginate..........................................................................................................................................................1-19 E. Pectin..............................................................................................................................................................1-20 F. Carrageenans..................................................................................................................................................1-20 G. Agar................................................................................................................................................................1-20 H. Xanthan ..........................................................................................................................................................1-21 I. Gum Arabic....................................................................................................................................................1-21
References ......................................................................................................................................................................1-23
sugar building blocks comprising their respective structures from monomers (monosaccharides) right through to polymers (polysaccharides). In addition, the diversity of carbohydrates occurring within nature arises from the number of carbon atoms comprising sugar monomer units (monosaccharides of 3 to 9 carbon atoms), the varied chemical structure of monosaccharides (including substituent groups), and the nature of linkages joining monosaccharide units.
