Who discovered fructose and when was it found?
Augustin-Pierre Dubrunfaut found fructose in 1847. He wrote about the discovery and properties of this sugar on page 174 of his work.
Questions about Fructose
Short answers, pulled from the story.
When did William Allen Miller coin the term fructose?
William Allen Miller coined the term fructose in 1857. This English chemist created a name derived from the Latin word for fruit, which is fructus.
What are the main precursors used for commercial production of fructose?
Commercial production relies on three main precursors: starch, sucrose, and inulin. Maize serves as a major source of starch for industrial processing while sugar cane and sugar beets provide the sucrose needed for conversion.
How does the liver process fructose into glucose?
The liver converts most fructose and galactose into glucose for distribution in the bloodstream. Fructokinase phosphorylates fructose to form fructose 1-phosphate within the organ before Aldolase B splits this compound.
Why does warming fructose decrease its relative sweetness?
Warming the substance leads to formation of the 5-membered ring structure. This structural shift causes relative sweetness to decrease with increasing temperature even though absolute sweetness remains identical at 5 degrees Celsius and 50 degrees Celsius.