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

Added sugars can also be found on the ingredients list, often labeled as glucose, fructose, maltose or sucrose.

From Salon • Jul. 23, 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 starch is first converted into a sugar known as maltose, by the action of malt, a substance prepared by moistening barley with water, allowing it to germinate, and then drying it.

From An Elementary Study of Chemistry by McPherson, William

Related Words

• cellulose
• glucose
• lactose
• starch
• sugar