Category: Carbohydrate analysis

Maltose, a disaccharide often called 'malt sugar,' is a common component in many food products, from grains to brewing ingredients. Identifying this specific sugar requires a series of tests that first confirm its reducing nature, and then distinguish it from other similar carbohydrates, answering the question: what test is used to identify maltose?.

Barfoed's test distinguishes monosaccharides from disaccharides, whereas Benedict's test is a general test for all reducing sugars. This crucial difference between Barfoed's test and Benedict's test stems from the varying pH of their reagents, with Barfoed's operating in acidic conditions and Benedict's in an alkaline medium.