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What is Trehalose?

Helga George
Helga George

Trehalose is an unusual disaccharide — a compound composed of two sugars; the sugars in trehalose are both glucose. Starch is also a disaccharide of glucose, but unlike starch, the glucose units in trehalose are combined in an alpha linkage, which is an unusual type of chemical bonding. It makes this compound non-reducing and remarkably stable to high temperatures and acidic conditions, properties atypical for most sugars. It also acts as an antioxidant. Trehalose is about half as sweet as glucose and is broken down to glucose by the enzyme trehalase.

The primary function trehalose is known for in biology is to protect organisms that contain large amounts of it from extreme temperatures and drying out. Trehalose was originally identified from a fungal infection on rye, and first isolated from a substance made by weevils. It is found in animals, plants, bacteria, and fungi.

Trehalose, one type of disaccharide, can be found in shiitake mushrooms.
Trehalose, one type of disaccharide, can be found in shiitake mushrooms.

Trehalose is very effective at retaining water, and this property is thought to enable certain organisms to survive dessication, or drying out. This property is known as anhydrobiosis. The larvae of sea monkeys, for example, are able to seemingly miraculously spring back to life upon the addition of water. This is thought to happen because trehalose has acted as a gel and maintained the three dimensional structure of the lipid and protein structures of the cell by surrounding them throughout the drying period and while the animals are rehydrated, enabling them to maintain their internal 3-D structure. A similar situation is thought to exist for the resurrection moss Selaginella.

Trehalose has shown promise in model systems for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease.
Trehalose has shown promise in model systems for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease.

Only a very small amount of the human diet includes trehalose, and what people do eat is obtained primarily from mushrooms. A small percentage of the population lacks the ability to make the enzyme trehalase, and thus cannot break down trehalose. These people can become ill after eating certain mushrooms such as Shitake which contain trehalose. This condition is less common than lactose intolerance.

Club moss is another name for Selaginella.
Club moss is another name for Selaginella.

The stability, mild sweetness, and water-retaining ability of trehalose make it appealing for a variety of commercial applications in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. It is used as a preservative for foods and to minimize harsh flavors and odors. It is used as a moisturizer in cosmetics, and in research to stabilize proteins and lipids. It is also used to protect organs for transplants.

The majority of a diabetic's diet should be composed of unprocessed foods, although the occasional sugar substitute is OK for most people.
The majority of a diabetic's diet should be composed of unprocessed foods, although the occasional sugar substitute is OK for most people.

There is consumer interest in trehalose as an alternative to sugar as a sweetener. It does not raise blood sugar levels as much as sugar and is considered more natural than the synthetic alternatives, so it is appealing to diabetics. Trehalose has also shown promise in model systems for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's Disease.

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    • Trehalose, one type of disaccharide, can be found in shiitake mushrooms.
      By: Chris leachman
      Trehalose, one type of disaccharide, can be found in shiitake mushrooms.
    • Trehalose has shown promise in model systems for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease.
      By: chuugo
      Trehalose has shown promise in model systems for treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Huntington's disease.
    • Club moss is another name for Selaginella.
      By: mite
      Club moss is another name for Selaginella.
    • The majority of a diabetic's diet should be composed of unprocessed foods, although the occasional sugar substitute is OK for most people.
      By: Gordan Jankulov
      The majority of a diabetic's diet should be composed of unprocessed foods, although the occasional sugar substitute is OK for most people.
    • Trehalose has a lower glycemic index than sugar, and can be used by diabetics as a sweetener.
      By: dalaprod
      Trehalose has a lower glycemic index than sugar, and can be used by diabetics as a sweetener.
    • A small amount of the population cannot break down trehalose and will become ill if they eat mushrooms that contain it.
      By: Creativa
      A small amount of the population cannot break down trehalose and will become ill if they eat mushrooms that contain it.