Benedict’s Qualitative Solution

Benedict’s Qualitative Solution provides a test to determine the presence of reducing sugars. All monosaccharides and some disaccharides are reducing sugars—that is, they contain a free aldehyde or α-hydroxyketone group which is capable of reducing cupric or ferric ions. Sucrose, common table sugar and a disaccharide, is a notable exception in that it is not a reducing sugar.