In testing for a reducing sugar, the food substance is usually warmed with
Answer Details
In testing for a reducing sugar, the food substance is usually warmed with Benedict's solution. Benedict's solution is a chemical reagent that contains copper sulfate, sodium carbonate, and sodium citrate. When Benedict's solution is heated in the presence of a reducing sugar, such as glucose or fructose, it undergoes a chemical reaction that causes the copper ions in the solution to be reduced to copper oxide, which gives a brick-red precipitate. This color change indicates the presence of a reducing sugar in the food substance being tested. Therefore, by heating the food substance with Benedict's solution, we can detect the presence of a reducing sugar in the food.