Forensic Chemistry > 2. Analysis of organic material can distinguish plant and animal material > Reducing And Non-Reducing Sugars >
Describe the chemical difference between reducing and non-reducing sugars
Reducing Sugars
– sugars that contain an hydroxyl (-OH) group attached to the anomeric carbon (reactive carbonyl carbon in the open chain of a sugar) which can be oxidized or acts as reducing agent
– Examples: glucose, lactose, maltose
Non-reducing Sugars
– Sugars that cannot act as reducing agent and contain no free aldehyde or ketone group
– Examples: trehalose, sucrose