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    • Rights: University of Waikato
    Published 18 March 2011 Referencing Hub media
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    When the cyclic form of glucose1 forms, 2 different versions of it are produced. One is alpha, the other beta.

    Starches like amylose and amylopectin link only alpha-type glucose molecules2 together. With cellulose3, it is the beta molecules that link together.

    The glycosidic bonds in cellulose have a different orientation from those in starch4.

    As a result of this, human digestive5 enzymes6 can break down starch but not cellulose.

    Cellulose consists of linear molecules each made up of at least 3,000 glucose units linked together.

    1. glucose: A simple sugar belonging to the group of carbohydrates called monosaccharides. It is the main form of carbohydrate used by the body.
    2. molecule: Two or more atoms bonded together. The molecule of an element has all its atoms the same. The molecule of a compound has two or more different atoms.
    3. cellulose: A stringy and fibrous carbohydrate (a type of polymer made up of glucose molecules) that is the main constituent of the cell walls of plants, especially important in wood, cotton and hemp etc. Used in the manufacture of paper, cotton and other textiles, kapok, cellophane, rayon, explosives and some pharmaceuticals.
    4. starch: A complex carbohydrate found chiefly in seeds, fruits, tubers, roots and stem pith of plants. Commonly found in foods, such as potatoes, wheat, rice and corn.
    5. digestive system: The group of organs that are involved in the breakdown of food in the body, which includes the stomach and intestines.
    6. enzyme: A complex protein that acts as a catalyst (speeds up chemical reactions) in specific biochemical reactions. For example, saliva contains an enzyme called amylase that can break down starch into simple sugars.
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      glucose

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      2. A simple sugar belonging to the group of carbohydrates called monosaccharides. It is the main form of carbohydrate used by the body.

      starch

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      3. A complex carbohydrate found chiefly in seeds, fruits, tubers, roots and stem pith of plants. Commonly found in foods, such as potatoes, wheat, rice and corn.

      molecule

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      4. Two or more atoms bonded together. The molecule of an element has all its atoms the same. The molecule of a compound has two or more different atoms.

      digestive system

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      5. The group of organs that are involved in the breakdown of food in the body, which includes the stomach and intestines.

      cellulose

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      6. A stringy and fibrous carbohydrate (a type of polymer made up of glucose molecules) that is the main constituent of the cell walls of plants, especially important in wood, cotton and hemp etc. Used in the manufacture of paper, cotton and other textiles, kapok, cellophane, rayon, explosives and some pharmaceuticals.

      enzyme

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      7. A complex protein that acts as a catalyst (speeds up chemical reactions) in specific biochemical reactions. For example, saliva contains an enzyme called amylase that can break down starch into simple sugars.

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