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Two glucose
units form maltose, a glucose and a fructose produce sucrose (table
sugar), a glucose and galactose form lactose (milk sugar). Continued
combining to form a long chain produces a polysaccharide. Polysaccharides
include starch and glycogen which are used as stored fuel in plants and
animals respectively. The difference between starch and glycogen is the
amount of branching with glycogen being the most highly branched. Cellulose
also consists of glucose units but the linkage differs from that in starch
and glycogen and cannot be digested by most animals. For humans cellulose is
indigestible fiber, an important component of our diet, but not used for
food. Only microorganisms have the necessary enzymes. Termites and other
animals that eat wood, grass and the like have the microorganisms in their
guts which perform the digestive process known as hydrolysis.
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