WHY do I need to understand the
FUNCTIONS of
CARBOHYDRATES?
• Most food mixtures contain carbohydrates
so it is vital to understand how they work
in the field of Food Science.
CARBOHYDRATES
•
•
•
•
Major source of energy for humans
Provide 55% to 80% of calorie needs
Form vital structure of living cells
Three groups of carbohydrates:
Sugars
Starches
Fibers
CARBOHYDRATE
PRODUCTION
• Carbohydrates are compounds composed
of three elements:
CARBON
OXYGEN
HYDROGEN
• These three elements are loosely bound
with water.
CARBOHYDRATE
PRODUCTION continued….
• Through the process of photosynthesis, plants
convert energy from the sun into the most
common of the carbohydrates, glucose.
• As the plant matures, it makes glucose into fiber
to form the structure of the stems and leaves.
• As the plant reaches full size, it begins to
transfer its energy into sugars and starches.
Tender, young kernels of corn are sweeter than
mature kernels because they contain a higher
percentage of sugars.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
EQUATION
6CO2 + 6H2O + sunlight
C6H12O6 + 6O2
What is SUGAR?
• The simplest type of carbohydrate
• SACCHRAIDE (organic chemistry name) is
the name given to all carbohydrates
classified as sugars.
• It is an organic compound which means it is
a sugar that contains carbon compounds
Sugars Are Carbohydrates
• Carbohydrates are the foundation of our food
chain.
• The energy we get from consuming carrots,
broccoli, apples, bananas, potatoes
milk or eggs comes from the carbohydrate
the plant stores in its roots, seeds, leaves,
stems fruit or animal by-products such as
milk and eggs.
• All carbohydrates are made up of one or
more molecules of sugars.
The family of sugars includes:
• Monosaccharides
contain one basic molecule
• Disaccharides
two monosaccharides joined together
In organic chemistry
names of
saccharides
end in
ose
Monosaccharides
• Examples of monosaccharides found
widely in food products are:
Fructose – fruits and honey
Glucose – blood, grapes and corn
Mannose – eggs and some plants
Galactose – only found in animals and
humans; milk
Ribose – used to make DNA
(contains only 5 carbon atoms)
Monosaccharides
• All monosaccharides contain:
CARBON
6 atoms
HYDROGEN
12 atoms
OXYGEN
6 atoms
The monosaccharides glucose, galactose
and fructose all have the same molecular
formula but they vary in their molecular
structure.
GLUCOSE
• The most abundant of the sugars
• People’s basic energy source
• The body converts all sugars & starches into
glucose before using it for energy
CHEMICAL FORMULA
C2H12O6
Disaccharides
• Examples of disaccharides found widely in
food products are:
Sucrose – table sugar
Maltose – malted grains
Lactose – sugar found in milk
SUCROSE or common table sugar is a sweet
white crystalline solid often used as a food additive.
Sucrose is a made up of the two simple sugars
glucose and fructose which are joined together by
a chemical bond known as a glycosidic bond.
Sucrose is a disaccharide sugar.
During the digestive process the sucrose
molecule is broken down into the two
monosaccharides, glucose and fructose, which
can be easily absorbed through the
villi of the intestine.
Sucrose + water = hydrolysis = Glucose + Fructose
Where do we get Sucrose ?
Sugar Beet
Sugar Cane
AND
commonly
called
Table Sugar
SUGAR VIDEO
View the 8:36 minute video (53.5 MB) containing
information on sugar including:
How is sugar grown?
How is sugar harvested?
How is sugar processed?
Web Site is http://www.sugar.org/
The three common disaccharides lactose,
sucrose and maltose also have
the same molecular formula but
differ in their formula structure.
Lactose is also known as
‘milk sugar’
because it is primarily found in
dairy products.
LACTOSE
INTOLERANCE
• Genetic disorder
• Lack enzyme needed to break down
lactose into glucose and galactose
• Prevents lactose from being absorbed by
the body
A little something to help you remember all
you learned about SUGAR……click here
RESOURCES
Principles of Food Science, Glencoe, 2007. Janet Ward.
http://www.airmp3.me/download/the_archies/sugar_sugar/mp3/dlaXa_e7a4_0
http://www.food-info.net/uk/colour/caramel.htm
http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/pages/caramelization
http://www.enotes.com/food-encyclopedia/caramelization
http://www.sugar.org
http://www.sugar.org/images/docs/about-sugar.pdf
http://www.sugar.org/images/docs/how-well-do-you-know-sugar.pdf
http://www.chemicalformula.org/sugar
http://www.americansugarbeet.org/who-we-are/what-is-a-sugarbeet.html
http://www.esteticamelocoton.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarcane
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbohydrate
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucrose
http://www.worsleyschool.net/science/files/sugar/page.html
http://www.dixiecrystals.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dairy_product
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dairy_cattle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maltose