Description
General description
D-(+)-Melibiose is a reducing disaccharide composed of a unit of galactose linked to a unit of glucose by a glycosidic bond α (1 → 6). It is commonly found in plants and the roots of certain legumes. D-(+)-Melibiose is not metabolized by humans but serves as a substrate for certain bacteria and fungi. It is used as a differential medium component in microbiological media to detect the fermentation of melibiose by microorganisms. It helps identify specific bacterial species based on their ability to ferment melibiose.
Application
D-(+)-Melibiose has applications in the fields of microbiology, research and development, and in food and pharmaceutical industries. Melibiose fermentation test is used to differentiate bacteria like Enterobacteriaceae (like Salmonella, E.coli, shigella, Citrobacter, Klebsiella, Enterobacter) and yeasts. It is also used for the differentiation between the plant pathogenic bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae and K. variicola.
Preparation Note
Keep the container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place.Hygroscopic, Store under inert gas.
