Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) Practice Exam

Disaccharides are characterized by the presence of two sugar molecules. They are a type of carbohydrate formed when two monosaccharides link together through a glycosidic bond. Common examples of disaccharides include sucrose (composed of glucose and fructose), lactose (composed of glucose and galactose), and maltose (composed of two glucose molecules). This specific structure differentiates disaccharides from other types of carbohydrates such as monosaccharides, which consist of single sugar units, and polysaccharides, which are made up of long chains of monosaccharides.

The option that indicates disaccharides are made entirely of fructose does not align with their definition, as disaccharides consist of two different sugars rather than one single sugar type. Similarly, indicating disaccharides contain multiple sugar molecules and form long chains of glucose fails to capture their unique two-sugar composition, which is foundational to their classification.