This short, targeted simulation is adapted from the full-length “Introduction to Food Macromolecules” simulation.

Discover the complex carbohydrates in your food! In this simulation, you will be introduced to the chemical structures of complex carbohydrates and the importance of complex carbohydrates within our diets. Begin by examining their structure, and then learn how to test for the presence of complex carbohydrates in food samples using the iodine test.

Jump into the food sample

Begin by jumping inside a potato to initiate an animation that explains the chemical building blocks that make up a complex carbohydrates. Identify the differences between alpha and beta glucose. Learn how a polymer made of simple carbohydrates, such as glucose, can form complex carbohydrates, such as starch. Compare the internal structures of potatoes and broccoli to discover how the structures of starch and cellulose differ despite them both being made from glucose polymer chains. Finally, return to the lab to perform an experiment which will test for the presence of these complex carbohydrates.

Use the Iodine test

You will assay food samples using the Iodine test for starch. A range of food samples have been prepared and their respective solution placed in a test tube. Perform the experiment for each food sample and observe the color change over time. Identify the positive and negative result for the test. Then use what you have learnt to determine which food samples contain complex carbohydrates. Does your friend's salad contain complex carbohydrates?

Review your knowledge

Put your knowledge of complex carbohydrates to the test in quizzes throughout the simulation. Do you know the difference between starch and cellulose?