CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates are large class of naturally occurring polyhydroxy aldehyde and ketone
or compounds that yield polyhydroxy aldehyde or ketones in hydrolysis. It is basically classified
as monosaccharide, disaccharides, or polysaccharides.

Monosaccharide, sometimes called simple sugars are carbohydrates that cannot be broken
into smaller molecules by hydrolysis and are classified as aldose and ketose. Glucose is the most
important monosaccharide. D-Glucose sometimes called dextrose or blood sugar’ is the most
widely occurring of all monosaccharides.

Disaccharide is compose of two monosaccharides linked by acetal bonds, C-O-C,

sucrose known as table sugar is the most common disaccharide. Polysaccharides are compounds
made of many simple sugar molecules bonded together. On hydrolysis, polysaccharides such as
starch are cleaved to yield many molecules of simple sugars. Starch and cellulose are common
polysaccharide.

Application: GLUCOSE IN BLOOD AND URINE

Glucose measurements are essential in the diagnosis of diabetis mellitus

and in the management of diabetic patients, either in a clinical setting or on a
day-to-dat basis by the patients themselves. One form of diabetes results when
an individual has an insufficient supply of hormone insulin. Without insulin,
glucose does not move from the bloodstream into cells, where it is needed as a
source of energy. As a result, glucose level rise in blood and urine.
Most test for glucose in urine or blood rely on detecting a color change
that accompanies the oxidation of glucose. Because glucose and its oxidation
product, gluconic acid are colorless, the oxidation must be tied chemically to
the color change of suitable indicator.
Benedict’s reagent is one oxidizing agent, the detectable color change
show glucose concentration.
 Laboratory Exercise No. 1
TEST FOR SIMPLE SUGAR (GLUCOSE)

Monosaccharide is the simplest form of carbohydrate, often referred to as simple sugars. This
basic unit is the monomer in complex forms of carbohydrates, particularly the polysaccharides.
When polysaccharides react with water, it breaks up into smaller molecules called dextrin. Upon
further hydrolysis, dextrin breaks up into glucose, a monosaccharide. This is in fact the process
behind ripening of fruits. Positive test with Fehling’s reagent indicates the presence of simple
sugar.

Materials:

Several banana samples of varied age

Fehling’s solution
Test tube
Burner
Dropper

Procedure

1. Crush a slice of the different banana samples and place it in a separate tect tube.
2. Add 10 ml of Fehling’s solution, shake toroughly to mix.
3. Place the tube in a beaker of boiling water for 10-15 minutes.

Refer to the chart to determine the amount of sugar in the sample.

0.5% glucose Green color

1.0% glucose Yellow color

2.0% or more glucose Orange-red color

Guide Questions:

1. Which sample contained the most simple sugar?

2. Explain your observation.
3. Describe the positive test for simple sugar.
Name :_________________________________________ Date:_________________

Year & Sec._____________________________________ Rating: _______________

Laboratory Exercise No. 1

TEST FOR SIMPLE SUGAR (GLUCOSE)

Objectives:

1.

2.

Methodology

Observations/Data Gathered
Answer to the Guide Questions

Conclusion/Generalization
 Laboratory Exercise No. 2
TEST FOR THE PRESENCE OF STARCH

Starch is a storage molecule made of glucose units that are linked into coiled and
branched chains. The iodine is trapped in the branches and coils, the color changes to blue-black
and purple. Several thousands of these glucose units are in each starch molecule.

Materials

10 Food samples to be tested

Iodine solution (tincture of iodine will do)
Watch glass
Medicine dropper

Procedure:

1. Prepare the food samples to be tested by cutting a part to expose the interior.
2. Place the food sample in a watch glass.
3. Using a medicine dropper, add 2-3 drops to each sample to test for the presence of
starch.
4. Observe any color change.

Guide Questions:

1. Which of the samples tested contain starch?

2. Explain your observation. What scientific principle is involved in the positive iodine
test?
3. Design an experiment to test for the presence of starch in plant parts.
Name :_________________________________________ Date:_________________

Year & Sec._____________________________________ Rating: _______________

Laboratory Exercise No. 2

TEST FOR THE PRESENCE OF STARCH

Objectives:

1.

2.

Methodology

Observations/Data Gathered
Answer to the Guide Questions

Conclusion/Generalization
 Laboratory Exercise No. 3
QUALITATIVE TESTS FOR CARBOHYDRATES

Several qualitative tests have been devised to detect members of carbohydrates, a

biologically significant class of compounds. These tests will utilize a test reagent that will yield a
color change after reacting with specific functional groups of the compounds being tested. This
set of procedures below are consists of reactions that can detect the presence or absence of
carbohydrates in test solutions. There were those that are general, while others are specific tests.

Materials:

Sample solutions of 1% sucrose, glucose, fructose, lactose and starch

Reagents such as:
Molisch, Benedict’s, Fehlings, Barfoed,s, Seliwanoffs and phenyldydrazine sol.
30 test tubes
hot water bath

Procedure:

Perform the following tests on 1% solutions of sucrose, glucose, fructose, lactose, and starch.
1. Molisch Test. Add 2 drops of Molisch reagent to 4 mL of the test solution. Incline the
tube and pour 2 mL of concentrated H2S04 carefully down the side such that the solution
floats on the surface of the acid without mixing. Record the color where the two liquids
meet. What is responsible for this coloration?
2. Benedict’s Test. Mix 1 mL of test solution with 1 mL of Benedict’s reagent and gently
heat the solution in a boiling water bath for 10 min. Allow to cool. Note results and
compare. What is a reducing sugar? Which of the test solutions contain a reducing sugar?
3. Fehling’s Test. To a test tube add 1 mL of Fehling’s solution A and 1 mL of Fehling’s
solution B and dilute the mixture with 1 mL distilled water. Add to this 1 mL of test
solution. Shake the mixture, immerse in boiling water and heat for 15 minutes.
Observations?

Compare your results with the results for Benedict’s Test. How do these two tests differ?
What is the composition of the reagents used? What is the more sensitive test, and at
what conditions?
4. Barfoed’s Test. Add 3 mL of Barfoeds reagent to 2 mL of the test solution with mixing
and place the tube in boiling water bath. Observe carefully during the firat five minutes.
Remove the tube once its solution becomes cloudy or changes color, noting the time for
reaction. If no change happens after 5 mins, continue heating for another 5 to 10 mins. Be
careful to note the time when a change takes place in the solution. Compare results.
 Which gave a positive test within 5 mins? Which gave a positive test after a longer period
of heating? Explain your results. Of what use is this tesat? How does this differ from
Benedict’s Test?
5. Seliwanoff’s Test. To 1 mL of the test solution, add 4 mL Seliwanoff’s reagent and place
the tube in a boiling water bath for 5 mins. Record the time of color formation. Compare
results. What type of carbohydrate reacts positively with this test?
6. Ozasone Test. This test readily produces insoluble, crystalline osazones which can be
used to identify the sugar from which they are derived. /each osazone has a characteristic
melting point. Several sugars, due to structural similarities, may yield the same osazone.

Add 4 drops of the test solution to 8 drops of the phenylhydrazine reagent and mix
thoroughly. Heat in a boiling water bath for 30 mins. If crystals do not form after this
time, remove the tube and cool it carefully (in air or under running water) before
transferring to an ice bath. Nnote the color of the crystals formed and their time of
formation. Examine the crystals under a microscope. Compare. What sugar forms the
same osazone as glucose? Why?

Guide Questions:

1. What is/are the purpose of each of the qualitative tests for carbohydrates that were
conducted in this exercise?
2. Cite certain pratical application for each of this test. What make the qualitative tests
important?

Name :_________________________________________ Date:_________________

Year & Sec._____________________________________ Rating: _______________

 Laboratory Exercise No. 3
QUALITATIVE TESTS FOR CARBOHYDRATES

Objectives:

1.

2.

Methodology

Observations/Data Gathered

Answer to the Guide Questions

Conclusion/Generalization
 Exercise No. 1
CARBOHYDRATES

1. What are carbohydrates?

2. What is the family name ending for sugar?

3. Give another term for dextrose.

4. What are chiral carbons?

5. Compare and contrast enantiomers from diastereomers.

6. For the given monosaccharides:

a. write the enantiomers for each sugar.
b. Identify the D and the L
c. Mark the chiral carbons in each structure with an asterisk (*)

Threose Ribulose

Xylose Tagatose
7. Draw the following structures:

a. Maltose = α-D-Glucose + α- D –Glucose

with α 1,4 glycosidic linkage.

b. Cellobiose = β-D-glucose + β-D-glucose

With β 1,4 glycosidic linkage

c. a polysaccharide with 15 β-D-glucose as monomer units.

8. Compare and contrast glycogen and starch.

9. What are acidic polysaccharides? Cite examples of this type of carbohydrate and draw its
structure.
10. Share other concepts and application that you have noted from certain literature about
carbohydrates.