Carbohydrates are defined as polyhydroxy aldehydes or ketones or their derivatives or substances which yields one of these substances on hydrolysis. <br>e.g starch, glucose, fructose, maltose.
Carbohydrates are classified into 4 major groups according to the presence of number of molecules of sugar. 1. Monosaccharides (general formula: (CH2O)n) only contains single molecule of sugar, are simplest form of carbohydrates and cannot be broken down into simpler substances on hydrolysis. Example : glucose (aldose) ,fructose (ketose).
2. Diasacharides (Cn(H2O)n-1) contains two molecules of simple sugar.. yeild two molecukes of sugar on hydrolydis. 3. Oligosaccharides (two to 10 molecuoes). E.g stachyose. 4. Polysaccharides ( more than 10 molecules) E.g. starch, glycogen.
