maltose

American  

[mawl-tohs] / ˈmɔl toʊs /

noun

Chemistry.

1. a white, crystalline, water-soluble sugar, C 1 2 H 2 2 O 1 1 ⋅H 2 O, formed by the action of diastase, especially from malt, on starch: used chiefly as a nutrient, as a sweetener, and in culture media.

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maltose British  

/ ˈmɔːltəʊz /

noun

1. a disaccharide of glucose formed by the enzymic hydrolysis of starch: used in bacteriological culture media and as a nutrient in infant feeding. Formula: C 12 H 22 O 11

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maltose Scientific  

/ môl′tōs′ /

1. A sugar made by the action of various enzymes on starch. It is formed in the body during digestion. Maltose is a disaccharide consisting of two linked glucose molecules. Chemical formula: C ₁₂ H ₂₂ O ₁₁ .

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Etymology

Origin of maltose

First recorded in 1860–65; malt + -ose ²

Explanation

Maltose is a sugar that forms when starches like potatoes or rice are broken down in the digestive system. After maltose is formed, it's broken into simpler sugars so your body can use it for energy. Most foods you eat don't have much maltose, unless you cook them. Sweet potatoes, for example, have no maltose when they're raw, but when they're cooked they have a small amount. Molasses and malted drinks like Ovaltine are some of the few uncooked food products that contain maltose. Otherwise, it forms during the digestive process. Maltose comes from malt and the chemical sugar suffix -ose.

Example Sentences

The swashing effect begins when bacteria consume fermentable sugars such as glucose, maltose, or xylose.

From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2026

Honey, made from nectar by honeybees, is primarily a mixture of glucose and fructose monosaccharides with some maltose, sucrose and other carbohydrates.

From Salon • Mar. 28, 2024

For rapid growth the bacteria require the sugar maltose, from which they produce lactic acid and acetic acid, which account for the sour taste.

From Scientific American • Nov. 1, 2023

Male cockroaches’ gooey “gift” to females contains a sugar called maltose, which quickly breaks down into glucose when it comes in contact with saliva in the female’s mouth.

From Science Magazine • Mar. 28, 2023

The addition of malted milk or Mellin's Food may also have the effect of diminishing constipation;—the result being brought about by the maltose contained in these preparations.

From Health on the Farm A Manual of Rural Sanitation and Hygiene by Harris, H. F. (Henry Fauntleroy)

Related Words

• cellulose
• glucose
• lactose
• starch
• sugar