Glucose — Frequently Asked Questions

Because it is the sugar microorganisms metabolise most readily, entering glycolysis directly without prior conversion. Almost any industrial fermentation, whether producing citric acid, lactic acid, amino acids, enzymes, antibiotics or ethanol, begins with a glucose or glucose-derived feed, and the productivity of the process depends on that substrate being clean and consistent.

By reducing it. Glucose is a reducing sugar, carrying a free aldehyde group in its open-chain form, and that aldehyde donates electrons to silver ions in an ammoniacal solution, reducing them to metallic silver which deposits as a coherent reflective film. The same chemistry underlies the Tollens test and some electroless plating baths.

As a reducing agent in vat dyeing. Indigo and other vat dyes are insoluble in their coloured form and must be chemically reduced to a soluble leuco form before they will penetrate the fibre, then reoxidised in air to fix the colour. Glucose is one of the reducing agents used to achieve that, alongside sodium dithionite.

Effectively yes in commerce. Dextrose refers specifically to the naturally occurring D-glucose isomer, which is what all commercial material is, so the two names are used interchangeably. Dextrose is the more common term for the crystalline product, and it is supplied as monohydrate or anhydrous.