Galactose

Galactose is a hexose, a water-soluble simple sugar with the molecular formula C6H12O6, which occurs in D and L form. Galactose is particularly prevalent in the animal kingdom. It is found in most living organisms as a building block of di-, oligo- and polycondensates (polysaccharides).

Galactose is a building block of the oligosaccharide lactose. Galactose also occurs as a building block of cerebrosides and gangliosides of animal nervous tissue.

In plants, galactose is a component of melibiose, raffinose and galactans (such as agar-agar). Galactans are polysaccharides that are mainly composed of galactose molecules.