Differences between reducing and non-reducing sugars are:

Reducing

1. Possess a free aldehyde(-CHO) or ketone (-C=0) Group.

2. Can reduce the Cu2+ cupric ions (blue)in Fehling’s or Benedict’s Solution to Cu+ cuprous ions (reddish) that precipitate out as Cu2O(cuprous oxide).

ADVERTISEMENTS:

3. Maltose. lactose, melibiose, gentiobiose, cellobiose, mannotriose, rhamnotriose.

Non-reducing

1. A free aldehyde or ketonic group is lacking.

2. No such reaction.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

3. Sucrose, trehalose,raffinose, gentiarose, melezitose.