milk-sugar
Definition
- Noun:
- A type of sugar: "milk-sugar" is a disaccharide sugar found in milk, with the chemical formula C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁. It is also known as lactose.
- A chemical compound: In chemistry, "milk-sugar" specifically refers to lactose, a sugar composed of glucose and galactose.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Milk-sugar is the primary carbohydrate in dairy products. (Lactose is the main sugar in milk.)
- People with lactose intolerance cannot digest milk-sugar properly. (They lack the enzyme to break down lactose.)
Advanced Usage
"milk-sugar in fermentation": used in the production of lactic acid by bacterial fermentation.
- Milk-sugar is fermented by Lactobacillus bacteria to make yogurt. (Lactose is converted into lactic acid.)
"milk-sugar as an excipient": in pharmaceuticals, milk-sugar (lactose) is often used as a filler or binder in tablets.
- Many pills contain milk-sugar as an inactive ingredient. (Lactose is added for bulk or consistency.)
Variants and Related Words
Lactose (n): the scientific name for milk-sugar.
- Lactose is found in milk from mammals. (The same compound as milk-sugar.)
Lactase (n): the enzyme that breaks down milk-sugar.
- Lactase supplements help digest milk-sugar. (The enzyme for lactose digestion.)
Synonyms
- Lactose: the formal chemical term for milk-sugar.
- Milk sugar (two words): an alternative spelling of milk-sugar.
Phrasal Verbs
Break down milk-sugar: to digest or decompose lactose.
- The body uses lactase to break down milk-sugar. (Enzymes split lactose into simpler sugars.)
Ferment milk-sugar: to cause bacterial conversion of lactose.
- Bacteria ferment milk-sugar to produce lactic acid. (Microorganisms use lactose as food.)
Related Idioms
- No direct idioms: "milk-sugar" is a technical term and does not appear in common idiomatic expressions. However, in dietary contexts, one might say:
- Cut out milk-sugar: to avoid lactose in one's diet.
- She had to cut out milk-sugar due to her intolerance. (She removed all dairy products containing lactose.)