Description
Benedict’s reagent is a chemical solution commonly used in laboratory settings to test for the presence of reducing sugars, such as glucose and fructose. It is composed of copper(II) sulfate (CuSO4), sodium citrate (Na3C6H5O7), and sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) dissolved in water. Benedict’s reagent works by reducing the blue copper(II) ions to red copper(I) ions when heated in the presence of reducing sugars. The intensity of the color change correlates with the concentration of reducing sugars present in the solution, allowing for semi-quantitative analysis.