Gentiobiose is a
disaccharide composed of two units of
D-glucose joined with a β(1->6) linkage. It is a white crystalline solid that is soluble in water or hot
methanol
Methanol (also called methyl alcohol and wood spirit, amongst other names) is an organic chemical and the simplest aliphatic alcohol, with the formula C H3 O H (a methyl group linked to a hydroxyl group, often abbreviated as MeOH). It is a ...
. Gentiobiose is incorporated into the chemical structure of
crocin
Crocin is a carotenoid chemical compound that is found in the flowers of crocus and gardenia. Crocin is the chemical primarily responsible for the color of saffron.
Chemically, crocin is the diester formed from the disaccharide gentiobiose and ...
, the chemical compound that gives
saffron its color. It is a product of the
caramelization of
glucose. During a starch hydrolysis process for glucose syrup, gentiobiose, which has bitterness, is formed as an undesirable product through the acid-catalyzed condensation reaction of two
D-glucose molecules. One β-D-glucose unit elongation of the bitter
disaccharide reduces its bitterness by a fifth, as determined by human volunteers using the trimer, gentiotriose. Gentiobiose is also produced via enzymatic hydrolysis of glucans, including pustulan and β-1,3-1,6-glucan.
References
Disaccharides
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