Oligosaccharide (Noun)
Meaning
Any of the carbohydrates that yield only a few monosaccharide molecules on complete hydrolysis.
Classification
Nouns denoting substances.
Examples
- The human gut microbiome ferment oligosaccharides to produce short-chain fatty acids.
- Oligosaccharides are often used as prebiotics in nutritional supplements and food products.
- Researchers analyzed the structure of the oligosaccharide present on the surface of the bacterial cell wall.
- Some infant formulas contain oligosaccharides to mimic the composition of human breast milk.
- The breakdown of the oligosaccharide galactooligosaccharide results in the release of galactose and other simple sugars.