Cellobiose facts for kids

Cellobiose is a special kind of sugar. It's a disaccharide, which means it's made of two smaller sugar units joined together. Think of it like two LEGO bricks clicked into one!

This sugar is super important because it comes from cellulose. Cellulose is a big part of plant cells, like the strong fibers in wood, cotton, and paper.

What is Cellobiose?

Cellobiose is a type of sugar that scientists call a disaccharide. The word "disaccharide" means "two sugars." This is because cellobiose is made when two units of another sugar, called glucose, link up.

It used to be known as cellose. When it's pure, cellobiose looks like a white powder.

How is Cellobiose Made?

Cellobiose comes from cellulose, which is a main part of all plants. Things like cotton and paper are full of cellulose.

To make cellobiose, cellulose is broken down using water. This process is called hydrolysis. Imagine you have a long chain (cellulose), and you use water to snip off smaller, two-unit pieces (cellobiose).

Why Can't We Digest It?

Even though cellobiose is a sugar, people cannot digest or use it for energy. Our bodies don't have the right tools (enzymes) to break it down into smaller glucose units that we can absorb.