What is the name of the disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose, also known as table sugar?

The disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose is known as sucrose. Sucrose is commonly referred to as table sugar and is widely used as a sweetener in various foods and beverages. This sugar is formed when a glucose molecule and a fructose molecule undergo a dehydration synthesis reaction, resulting in the formation of glycosidic bonds that link the two sugar units.

Sucrose is significant in both chemical and nutritional contexts. Chemically, it serves as an example of a non-reducing sugar because it does not have a free aldehyde or ketone group in its structure, which can participate in oxidation reactions. Nutritionally, sucrose provides a quick source of energy, as it can be rapidly broken down by the body into its constituent monosaccharides, glucose and fructose, which then enter glycolytic pathways for metabolism.

This knowledge is essential for understanding the roles of different carbohydrates in diet and metabolism, especially in relation to energy provision and sweetening agents in culinary applications.