Maltose (known as malt sugar) is a disaccharide (sometimes called di-glucose). It is formed from two glucose molecules joined together at carbons one and four by a glycosidic bond. It is the beginning of an important biochemical series, as more glucose units are added it becomes malto-triose, malto-tetrose, and so on. Long chain molecules of glucose are called dextrins or malto-dextrins. Maltose has a molecular formula of C12H22O11, and the systematic name for maltose is α-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-glucopyranose. Like other carbohydrates, it has a hydrogen to oxygen ratio of 2:1.
It is broken down by the enzyme maltase.
The production of maltose in germinating cereals is an important part of the brewing process.
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