GROUP 2 – MT1C

ANCAJA

ATAYAN

BATTAD

CARO

CARLOS

TESTS ON CARBOHYDRATES:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKng5-ij6kQ

Qualitative Tests for Carbohydrates (Biochemistry)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JboA8Ghyz5A

Bial's Test - Qualitative Test in Carbohydrates

NOTE *******THE TWO DIFFERENT SUGARS OF YOUR CHOICE ARE RIBOSE (A PENTOSE) AND

GLUCOSE( A HEXOSE)
TABLE OF RESULTS
REACTIONS OF RIBOSE
TEST OBSERVATION
MOLISCH’S TEST Purple ring at the middle of two
liquids
BIAL’S TEST Formation of blue color
REACTIONS OF GLUCOSE
TEST OBSERVATION
MOLISCH’S TEST Purple ring at the middle of two
liquids
FEHLING’S TEST Small amount of brick red/
browny precipitate formed on
Carbohydrate (reducing top of
the Fehling's solution.
BARFOED’S TEST Within 15 minutes, a scanty red
precipitate is formed on the
bottom of the test tube
SELIWANOFF’S TEST Cherry red color is not
observed. No change is evident
BIAL’S TEST After boiling, the appearance of
the solution changed into
yellow green
REACTIONS OF FRUCTOSE
TEST OBSERVATION
FEHLING’S TEST The reaction of fructose forms
an appearance of reddish-
INFERENCE
Ribose is carbohydrate
Ribose is carbohydrate
INFERENCE
Glucose is a carbohydrate
Positive Fehling's test.
sugar) confirmed.
Based from the appearance
showed, glucose is a reducing
monosaccharide
Based from the appearance
showed, glucose is not a keto
hexose
Based on the appearance
showed which is yellow-green,
glucose is hexose
INFERENCE
The presence of reddish-brown
color indicates that there is a
presence of reducing sugars

SELIWANOFF’S TEST
brown color which precipitates
completely
The reaction of fructose to
Seliwanoff’s test forms a cherry
red-colored complex
which gives off a positive result.
The cherry red-colored complex
shows that there is a presence
of ketosis which indicates a
positive result

REACTIONS OF SUCROSE

TEST OBSERVATION INFERENCE

FEHLING’S TEST The reaction of sucrose to the
Fehling’s test shows an absence
of reddish-brown color and
remains the same blue hue.
The absence of reddish-brown
color or the appearance of blue
color indicates that the sucrose
is lacking of reducing sugars
which shows a negative result

BARFOED’S TEST Barfoed’s test on the
carbohydrate, sucrose, yielded
a blue solution and no red
precipitation or color.
SELIWANOFF’S TEST Seliwanoff’s test on sucrose
resulted in formation of the
cherry red-colored complex.
The results say that the sucrose
is negative on the test and is
carbohydrate absent.
Formation of the cherry red-
colored complex indicates a
positive result which means that
the given sucrose contains
ketoses.

REACTIONS OF MALTOSE

TEST OBSERVATION INFERENCE

FEHLING’S TEST Fehling’s test on maltose Appearance of a reddish-brown
showed an appearance of a precipitate indicates a positive
reddish-brown precipitate result and the presence of
reducing sugars.

BARFOED’S TEST (-) solution remained blue, no carbohydrate is absent, maltose

color change is not a monosaccharide

SELIWANOFF’S TEST (-) solution remained dark maltose does not contain a
yellow, no color change ketose

QUESTIONS

1. Some disaccharides such as maltose are reducing agents, whereas others, such as sucrose are
not. Explain briefly by incluiding the structures of the sugars.
• Sugars which contain hemiacetals are reducing agents, in equilibrium with and opens up to
aldehydes therefore reacting as reducing agents towards certain oxidizing metal salts such as in
Benedict’s test, Fehling’s solution and Tollens test.

2. When you test starch with Barfoed’s reagent, what would be the answer, positive or negative?
Explain your answer by giving reasons
• Barfoed’s test is specific for monosaccharides. Starch as a polysaccharide will yield negative
results for this test. Starch only contains more acetals than hemiacetals and therefore will not
be considered as reducing agents nor will it yield positive results.
3. The boiling step is common for each test for the reducing sugars. Why boiling is necessary for
the reduction to take place?
• Boiling is the process by which a liquid turn into a vapor when it is heated to its boiling point. The
change from a liquid phase to a gaseous phase occurs when the vapor pressure of the liquid is
equal to the atmospheric pressure exerted on the liquid. Boiling is a physical change and
molecules are not chemically altered during the process.

Boiling is necessary for the reduction to take place because it speeds up when heated, all
monosaccharides and most disaccharides (except sucrose) will reduce copper (II) sulphate,
producing a precipitate of copper (I) oxide on heating, so they are called reducing sugars.