Information about Sucrose and Maltose Sugars and their related enzymes
This page has information about sucrose, maltose and starch. What are they? How are they are digested?
Sucrase-Isomaltase
Sucrase-Isomaltase is a polypeptide which is split in two to create both sucrase and isomaltase during the digestive process. The Sucrase/Isomaltase gene (SI Gene) is responsible for encoding this polypeptide. When issues arise (genetic or aquired) that prevent the normal formation of this polypeptide, or prevent it getting to the right place then digestion is adversly affected.
Starch
Starch is a polysaccharide (many sugars). It is made up of a large number of glucose monomers joined together by glycosidic bonds. Amylose and amylopectin are both types of starch.
Why are starch levels of food important?
Because of the structure of starch, when digested it is ripped apart into many smaller sugar molecules. Many of these smaller molecules are sucrose and maltose, which subsequently cause problems in those with lower than normal sucrase or maltase levels.
How much is too much?
Use the Disaccharide Checker to estimate the level of starch in foods commonly consumed in New Zealand.Enzymes that digest starch
Glucoamylase
Glucoamylase converts maltose to D-glucose.
Other names:
- glucoamylase
- glucan 1,4-α-glucosidase
- 4-α-D-glucan glucohydrolase
- amyloglucosidase
- γ-amylase
- lysosomal αglucosidase
- acid maltase
- exo-1,4-α-glucosidase
- glucose amylase
- γ-1,4-glucan glucohydrolase
- acid maltase
- 1,4-α-D-glucan glucohydrolase
- Enzyme commission number: 3.2.1.3
Alpha-Amylase
Hydrolyzes carbohydrates, such as starch and glycogen. Catalyzes starch into glucose and maltose. Measured in FCC DU (Dextrinizing Units)
Sucrose (Sugar) / Sucrase (Enzyme)
Sucrose
Sucrose is one of many different types of sugar regularly found in foods. It's most often found in larger quantities in processed foods, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Sucrose is widely produced by plants. It is a disaccharide composed of the monosaccharides glucose and fructose.
Sucrose is found in so many food items (including unprocessed and even raw foods) that it can be very challenging to identify how much of a food can be safely consumed and how it might affect planning of other meals.
How much is too much?
Use the Disaccharide Checker to estimate the level and type of sugars in foods commonly consumed in New Zealand.Synonyms (other names) for sucrose:
- saccharose
- Glc(α1->2β)Fru
- β-D-fructofuranosyl-(2↔1)-α-D-glucopyranoside
- β-D-Fruf-(2→1)-α-D-Glcp
- 1-α-D-Glucopyranosyl-2-β-D-fructofuranoside
Sucrase
Sucrase is the name of the enzyme which digests sucrose (the sugar). Sucrase is released when Sucrase-Isomaltase splits in two during part of the digestive process.
Enzyme Commission Primary Name for 3.2.1.26 (Sucrase):
- β-fructofuranosidase
Enzyme Commission Synonyms for 3.2.1.26 (Sucrase):
- invertase
- saccharase
- glucosucrase
- β-h-fructosidase
- β-fructosidase
- invertin
- sucrase
- maxinvert L 1000
- fructosylinvertase
- alkaline invertase
- acid invertase
Enzyme Commission Primary Name for 3.2.1.48 (Sucrase-Isomaltase):
- sucrose α-glucosidase
Enzyme Commission Synonyms for 3.2.1.48 (Sucrase-Isomaltase)
- sucrose α-glucohydrolase
- sucrase
- sucrase-isomaltase
- sucrose.α.-glucohydrolase
- intestinal sucrase
- sucrase(invertase)
Why are sucrose levels of food important?
When the amount of sucrose consumed exceeds the capacity to digest it, symptoms begin to occur. Some people have no capacity to digest sucrose at all, while others retain a reduced capacity.
Replacement enzymes can be consumed in pill or liquid form. These enzymes may be very useful, or problematic. Some people are unable to safely digest the fructose and/or glucose which are generated when taking these enzymes. Further, supplements are expensive, or very expensive especially in some regions. They also may require strict refrigeration particularly in some regions.
Maltose (Sugar) / Maltase (Enzyme)
Maltose
Maltose is one of many different types of sugar regularly found in foods. It's most often found in larger quantities in grains.
How much is too much?
Use the Disaccharide Checker to estimate the level and type of sugars in foods commonly consumed in New Zealand.Maltase
Maltase is the name of the enzyme which digests maltose (the sugar). Maltase is released when Sucrase-Isomaltase splits in two during part of the digestive process.Alternative names for maltase include:
Enzyme Commission Primary Name:
- α-glucosidase
Enzyme Commission Synonyms:
- maltase
- glucoinvertase
- glucosidosucrase
- maltase-glucoamylase
- α-glucopyranosidase
- glucosidoinvertase
- α-D-glucosidase
- α-glucoside hydrolase
- α-1,4-glucosidase
Why are maltose levels of food important?
When the amount of maltose consumed exceeds the capacity to digest it, symptoms begin to occur. Some people have no capacity to digest maltose at all, while others retain a reduced capacity.
Replacement enzymes can be consumed in capsule form. These enzymes may be very useful, or problematic. Some people are unable to safely digest the fructose and/or glucose which are generated when taking these enzymes. Further, supplements are expensive, or very expensive especially in some regions. They also may be unavailable in some regions
Names of sugars seen on nutrition labels:
Note that not all of the following sugars are problematic for disaccharidase deficiency.
- Agave nectar
- Agave syrup
- Barley malt syrup
- Beet sugar
- Blackstrap molasses
- Brown rice syrup
- Brown sugar
- Cane juice
- Cane sugar
- Caramel
- Carob syrup
- Coconut blossom nectar
- Coconut sugar
- Concentrated apple juice
- Corn sugar
- corn sweetener
- Corn syrup
- Crystallised fructose
- Dark muscovado sugar
- Date sugar
- Date syrup
- Dextrose
- Evaporated/Dehydrated cane juice
- Fructose
- Fruit juice concentrate
- Glucose fructose syrup
- Glucose syrup
- Glucose
- Golden caster sugar
- Golden syrup
- Grape sugar
- high-fructose corn syrup
- Honey
- Invert sugar
- Invert syrup
- Isoglucose
- Jaggery
- lactose
- Malt sugar
- Malt syrup
- maltose
- Maple sugar
- Maple syrup
- Molasses
- nectars
- Organic sugar
- Palm sugar
- Raw sugar
- Sorghum syrup
- Sucrose
- Sugar beet syrup
- Sugar
- Treacle
- trehalose
- turbinado
Sugar name Sources: