In this blog we are going to tell you about Difference between Aldose and Ketose, so read this blog carefully to get the complete information.
In chemistry, the compound of sugar is denoted with the suffix o, s, e. This compound of sugar is a colorless and water-soluble compound consisting of hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon atoms. As Aldose and Ketose also end with o, s, e, thus they are also sugar compounds. Additionally, these compounds can’t be broken down into smaller carbs molecules by Hydrolysis and this process is known as monosaccharides.
In this article, we will tell you about Aldose and Ketose and discuss all the major differences between Aldose and Ketose in detail.
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What is Aldose?
Aldose refers to any compound of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (carbohydrate compound). At the end of the structural formula, the compound contains the Aldehyde group (RCH O). As it ends with the suffix o, s, e, it is referred to as a sugar compound with a carbon chain. Aldose sugar compounds are of two types that are D- aldose and L-aldose. If you want to differentiate these two then you should look at the chemical formula where the hydroxide (OH) is placed on the chiral carbon. If it is present on the right side of the chiral carbon in the glyceraldehyde chemical formula then it is called D-aldose and if it is present on the left side then it is called L-aldose. Seliwanoff’s test is used to determine whether the sugar molecule is an aldose or ketose and Seliwanoff’s reagent is used in this test.
What is Ketose?
Ketose is also a monosaccharide compound in which the ketone group is present. The common form of ketose has three-carbon molecules and its name is called dihydroxyacetone. Ketose sugar is digested in the body very quickly and is also the sweetest of all kinds of sugar and thus found in prepared food also. As a result, if you ingest large quantities of ketone in your body then it could lead you to obesity and diabetes. Another type of ketone sugar is Ribulose which is found in complex form. This ketone sugar is used for the basic flavoring of the food. Another well-known ketone sugar is fructose which is not only complex but also found in most foods like syrup, candies, and junk food. This implies that we mostly consume fructose while eating processed food. Ketone sugar is dehydrated more quickly when Seliwanoff’s reagent is added to it. During the test, but you don’t sugar becomes the color of red cherry and thus you can easily distinguish it from aldose sugar. Furthermore, under the process of isomerization, ketone sugar changes into aldose sugar.
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Main Differences between Aldose and Ketose
The following are the main differences between Aldose and Ketose as mentioned below:
- On conducting Seliwanoff’s test, Aldose does not become dehydrated quickly whereas Ketose becomes dehydrated three times quickly.
- Aldose monosaccharides consist of aldehyde groups whereas Ketose monosaccharides consist of ketone groups.
- On conducting Seliwanoff’s test, when aldose reacts with Seliwanoff’s reagent, it becomes of light pink color whereas when ketose reacts with Seliwanoff’s reagent, it becomes cherry red color. This is the easiest difference to determine whether a sugar molecule is an aldose or ketose.
- Aldose sugar is found in plants which is beneficial for the human body in comparison to ketose sugar which is found in unhealthy meals like soft drinks and candies.
- Aldose sugar can be converted into ketose sugar by the process of isomerization whereas ketose sugar can also be converted into aldose sugar by the same process.
The final words
The compounds of sugars usually end with a suffix having the spelling o, e, and s. It is made from 3 atoms including hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon, and thus known as carbohydrates that provide energy to the human body. Aldose is a more healthy and calorie-deficient sugar in comparison to ketose which is an unhealthy form of sugar that is commonly found in junk foods and sugary items. To differentiate between these two sugars, you can conduct Seliwanoff’s test, a color-based test designed by Russian scientist Seliwanoff. With the color change, you can identify whether the sugar molecule is aldose or ketose. So we hope that the article was helpful and now you have got the differences between the two sugar molecules.
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We Hope this blog is sufficient enough to provide the information about Difference between Aldose and Ketose. Thanks for reading this blog.