Carbohydrates

• Carbon based cpds called sugars and starches

• Found in all living cells
• String of C atoms to which atoms of H, O2 are attached in the ratio of
1:2:1 of C, H and O2
• When burnt leaves black residues of C condensing water at the top
of the tubes ie sugar decomposed into C and water
• Sugar: simplest CHO, sweet tasting contain suffix ose.
• Starch: complex, granular powdry CHO found in seeds,bulbs &
tubers of plants eg. Glycogen, cellulose and pectin
 Classification
• Monosachharides
• Disaccharides - Oligosaccharides
• Polysaccharides
• Monosaccharides: CHO that can not be further degraded by
hydrolysis
• 3C- Triose
• 4C- Tetrose
• 5C- Pentose
• 6C- Hexose
• 7C- Heptose
• Eg. Glucose, fructose and ribose
 Oligosaccharides
• When hydrolysed give 2 to 6 monosacc’ units.
• Oligo means ‘few’ but more than 10 or 12 monosacc’ units r found in
oligosacc’
• Most common oligosacc’ are sucrose, beta lactose and β maltose
• Sucrose : 1 glucose + 1 fructose unit. Found in beets, sugar,
sorghum plants, fruits & veg.
• β Lactose: 1 galactose + 1 glucose unit. Found in milk
• β Maltose : 2 units of glucose. Found in germinating seeds but
relatively rare.
 Polysaccharide
• Contain many monosacc’ units linked together.
• Most abundant CHO
• Types of polysacc’: α linked polysac’ and β linked
polysac’
• α linked polysaccharides: more digestible than than β
linked polysacc’
• Animals use α linked polysaccharides but only few
animals use β linked polysacc’
• Cellulose utilizing animals (cattle,sheep, termites) use β
linked polysacc’- because of the m.o present in their
digestive tract.
• Polysacc’ make up 60-90% of dry weight of plants but
very smaller amt in animals
 Polysaccharide
• Eg. of polysacc’:
• starch in seed and tubers
• Cellulose in structural material of plants
• Glycogen in animals
• Characteristics:
• White solid materials slightly soluble
• Not sweet, not reactive chemically because of the active gps.
(aldehyde and ketones are tied up bet. Monosacc’ units. So strong
acids and enzymes r needed for hydrolysis to release monosacc’
• Types:
• Homopolysacc’: Polsacc’ containing only one type of monosacc’
• Hetero polysacc’: Polsacc’ containing more than one type of
monosacc’
 Homo and Hetero Polysaccharides

• Eg. Of homopolysacc’ :
• Glycogen: present mainly in liver and muscle of animals
• Cellulose: made up of glucose units which are β-linked, tough ,
indigestible
• Chitin: tough outer covering of many insects and of crustaceans like
crabs and lobster.
• Eg. Of heteropolysacc’ :
• Pectins: present in apple and milk use in making jam and jelly
• Mucopolysacc’: contain uronic acid and an amino sugar Hyaluronic
acid found in vitreous humor of the eye in the coat of human egg
cells