Sucroza

Sucroza, commonly known as sucrose or saccharose, is a disaccharide sugar with the chemical formula C12H22O11. It consists of glucose and fructose residues linked by an α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-fructofuranoside glycosidic bond. Sucrose is a non-reducing sugar because its anomeric carbons are involved in the glycosidic linkage, preventing it from acting as a reducing agent.

Natural occurrence and production are centered on plants. Sucrose is produced in the photosynthetic tissues of many plants and is a major transport carbohydrate in species such as sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum) and sugar beet (Beta vulgaris). Industrially, sucrose is extracted from these sources, clarified, concentrated, and crystallized to yield white granulated sugar. Refining processes remove molasses and pigments to produce high-purity sugar used in food and industrial applications.

Physical and chemical properties include its white, odorless crystals that are highly soluble in water. It melts and caramelizes upon heating and decomposes at higher temperatures. In solution, sucrose is optically active, rotating plane-polarized light to the right. It is non-reducing, but it can be hydrolyzed into glucose and fructose by acids or the enzyme sucrase.

Metabolism in humans involves enzymatic hydrolysis of sucrose in the small intestine by sucrase, yielding glucose and fructose for absorption and use as energy. Sucrose is a major dietary sweetener and is widely used in foods, beverages, baking, preserves, confectionery, and some pharmaceutical products. Its intake is associated with a range of health considerations when consumed in excess, including weight gain and dental caries.

Historically, sucrose was isolated in the 18th century and later became a foundational sweetener in global food systems.