Carbohydrates are an important component of food. They are composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Lower molecular weight carbohydrates are often called sugars, with their names ending in the characteristic "ose." Some examples of these sugars are sucrose, lactose, glucose, maltose, etc.
Maltose is a disaccharide. It is produced by connecting two glucose units through α(1→4) bonds. The general formula of disaccharide is Cₙ(H2O)ₙ₋₁. The molecular formula is C12H22O11. It is a reducing sugar and undergoes metarotation.
The history of maltose
Discovery in Brewing: In ancient times , maltose has been part of human culinary history for thousands of years, and its discovery may be related to the early practice of brewing beer.
Brewing and Fermentation: In ancient China , historical evidence shows that maltose-containing beverages were brewed in ancient China as early as the Neolithic Age (approximately 7000-6600 BC). The Babylonians are believed to have brewed beer around 6000 BC, with maltose playing a role in the fermentation process.
In the early nineteenth century, there was a shortage of sucrose, and scientists began to look for other sources of sugar. French chemist Augustin-Pierre Dubrunfaut first discovered the phenomenon of mutarotation in 1844, when he noticed that the specific optical rotation of aqueous sugar solutions changed with time. In the same paper, he also showed that the conversion of sucrose in the presence of brewer's yeast was not the result of fermentation. Then Dubrenfort discovered the organic fructose molecule in 1847. He also discovered maltose, although this discovery was not widely accepted until 1872 , when Irish chemist and brewer Cornelius O'Sullivan confirmed the disaccharide maltose.
The word maltose is derived from "malt" and since it is a sugar, the suffix "ose" was added. Therefore, it is named "maltose", also known as maltose or maltotriose.
How is maltose formed?
Maltose is a disaccharide type of carbohydrate. It is designed from two glucose molecules. As the water molecule is removed, the two glucose molecules form a bond. The result is formed.
The molecular formula of maltose or maltose is C12H22O11.H2O. It is prepared from starch through amylase. After hydrolysis by acid, only d-glucose is produced.
When the dough is fermented, the yeast provides the sugar. Most of the sugar available to yeast is maltose, which comes from starch. It acts like an early product of photosynthesis rather than a warehouse product such as starch and its spoiled products.
Maltose structural formula
Carbohydrates are generally classified into monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides based on the number of sugar subunits. Maltose is a disaccharide carbohydrate. Therefore, maltose is composed of two sugar units, an oligosaccharide and a disaccharide. It consists of two glucose molecule modules. Glucose is a common hexose sugar, a simple sugar containing six carbon atoms.
In maltose, two units of glucose are in the form of pyranose sugars. O-glycosidic bonds connect these units. In this bond, the first carbon (C1) of the first glucose molecule is connected to the fourth carbon (C4) of the second glucose molecule, forming a (1→4) bond.
Since the glycosidic bond to the anomeric carbon (C1) lies in the opposite plane to the CH2OH substituent of the same glucose ring, this bond is characterized as α. If this glycosidic bond occurred in the same plane it would be represented as a β(1→4) bond and then the resulting molecule would be cellobiose rather than maltose.
The anomeric carbon (C1) of the other glucose molecule hangs in the direction of the bond to the hydroxyl group relative to the CH2OH substituent of the similar glucose ring. This carbon is not complex in the glycosidic bond and can be an α- or β-terminal group. isomer. Therefore, it results in the formation of beta-maltose or alpha-maltose.
Isomaltose is an isomer of maltose and is similar to maltose. But in isomaltose, the α(1→4) bond is replaced by α(1→6) bond.
Production of maltose
With the advancement of food technology, maltose has been produced commercially on a large scale. It is used in the food industry for its sweetening properties and as an ingredient in various foods.
The name maltose comes from the word "malt". The suffix "ose" is added to describe that maltose belongs to the sugar class. "ose" represents the important biochemical series of glucose chains. It is named after the germination process, an example of this reaction found in germinating seeds.
It is formed by the digestion of starch by amylase. The preparation of maltose is accomplished by hydrolysis of starch in the presence of amylase. Starch is heated with a strong acid for a few minutes, breaking down to form two glucose molecules. With the help of maltase, it is converted into glucose. This glucose is used in biological processes.
It is also produced when beta-amylase breaks down starch by removing two glucose units at the same time.
Properties of maltose
Maltose is also a reducing sugar similar to glucose. The reason is that the two glucose units are connected, so when the ring is opened, one of the glucose units can acquire an aldehyde group. The properties of the glycosidic bond are unlikely to exist with other units of the glucose molecule.
Maltase can break down this glycosidic bond. This enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis step of glycosidic bonds. As a result, glucose units are formed.
It exhibits mutarotation in aqueous solution; the two forms exist in equilibrium in aqueous solution.
Depending on the concentration, maltose is almost 30-60% as sweet as sugar. Additionally, a 10% maltose solution is 35% as sweet as sucrose.
Origin and assimilation of maltose
Maltose is the component of "malt". It is a substance obtained by converting grains into malted grains. Grains can be converted into sprouts by soaking them in water. Afterwards, the stopped germination process is dried with hot air. In this way, enzymes are produced to break down the starch and protein in the grains.
It is a partially hydrolyzed starch product similar to corn syrup, maltodextrin and acid dilute starch.
It is broken down by various maltase enzymes in the human body to provide two glucose molecular units. These glucose molecules can be broken down further and provide energy, or they can be stored as glycogen.
Sucrose intolerance in humans occurs due to a deficiency of the enzyme invertase-isomaltase. But because there are four different maltase enzymes, complete maltose deviations are extremely rare.
Fruit is another common source of maltose in the diet, especially pears and peaches.
Uses of maltose
- Sweetener: Over time, maltose found its way into culinary applications beyond brewing. Its sweetening properties make it valuable for a variety of dishes and sweets.
- Maltose syrup: Maltose syrup is a concentrated form of maltose that has become a popular sweetener and ingredient in the production of candy, baked goods, and Asian sauces.
- Sweet Treats: Maltose has always been a key ingredient in traditional Chinese sweets. It is used in the preparation of foods such as maltose confectionery (dragon sugar) and maltose-coated fruits and nuts.
- Use in brewing: Maltose is an important ingredient in brewing, providing the fermentable sugars needed by yeast to produce alcohol.
Maltose and health
Although maltose provides energy as a carbohydrate, it is important to consume it in moderation. Excessive consumption of added sugars, including maltose, has been linked to health problems.
