Maltose
<p ><b>Maltose</b> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_English" title="Wikipedia:IPA for English" >/</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_English#Key" title="Wikipedia:IPA for English" >ˈmɒltoʊz</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:IPA_for_English" title="Wikipedia:IPA for English" >/</a>, also known as maltobiose or malt sugar, is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disaccharide" title="Disaccharide" >disaccharide</a> formed from two units of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucose" title="Glucose" >glucose</a> joined with an α(1→4)<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycosidic_bond" title="Glycosidic bond" >bond</a>, formed from a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condensation_reaction" title="Condensation reaction" >condensation reaction</a>. </p>
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The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isomer" title="Isomer" >isomer</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isomaltose" title="Isomaltose" >isomaltose</a> has two glucose molecules linked through an α(1→6) bond. Maltose is the second member of an important biochemical series of glucose chains. Maltose is the disaccharide produced when <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amylase" title="Amylase" >amylase</a> breaks down <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starch" title="Starch" >starch</a>. It is found in germinating seeds such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barley" title="Barley" >barley</a> as they break down their starch stores to use for food. It is also produced when glucose is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caramelization" title="Caramelization" >caramelized</a>. <sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maltose#cite_note-1" >[2]</a></sup></p>
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The addition of another glucose unit yields <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maltotriose" title="Maltotriose" >maltotriose</a>; further additions will produce <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dextrin" title="Dextrin" >dextrins</a> (also called maltodextrins) and eventually <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starch" title="Starch" >starch</a> (glucose polymer).<sup class="Template-Fact" >[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" >citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p>
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Maltose can be broken down into two glucose molecules by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrolysis" title="Hydrolysis" >hydrolysis</a>. In living <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organism" title="Organism" >organisms</a>, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzyme" title="Enzyme" >enzyme</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maltase" title="Maltase" >maltase</a> can achieve this very rapidly. In the laboratory, heating with a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_acid" title="Strong acid" class="mw-redirect" >strong acid</a> for several minutes will produce the same result. Isomaltose is broken by<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isomaltase" title="Isomaltase" >isomaltase</a>.<sup class="Template-Fact" >[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" >citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p>
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The production of maltose from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germinating" title="Germinating" class="mw-redirect" >germinating</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cereals" title="Cereals" class="mw-redirect" >cereals</a>, such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barley" title="Barley" >barley</a>, is an important part of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewing" title="Brewing" >brewing</a> process. When barley is<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malt" title="Malt" >malted</a>, it is brought into a condition in which the concentration of maltose-producing <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amylase" title="Amylase" >amylases</a> has been maximized. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mashing" title="Mashing" >Mashing</a> is the process by which these amylases convert the cereal's starches into maltose. Metabolism of maltose by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeast" title="Yeast" >yeast</a> during fermentation then leads to the production of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol" title="Ethanol" >ethanol</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide" title="Carbon dioxide" >carbon dioxide</a>.<sup class="Template-Fact" >[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" >citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p>