In lab, we used Benedict's reagent to test for one particular reducing sugar: glucose. Benedict's reagent starts out aqua-blue. As it is heated in the presence of reducing sugars, it turns yellow to orange. The "hotter" the final color of the reagent, the higher the concentration of reducing sugar.

What does Benedict's test detect?

Generally, Benedict's test detects the presence of aldehydes, alpha-hydroxy-ketones, and hemiacetals, including those that occur in certain ketoses.

What chemical reactions does Benedict's test for?

Benedict's test is a simple chemistry test used to detect reducing sugars. Reducing sugars are carbohydrates having free aldehyde or ketone functional group in its molecular structure. These include monosaccharides like glucose and fructose and disaccharides like lactose and maltose ^[1-4].