MOLECULE

β-D-Galactose

Beta-D-Galactose, also known as beta-D-gal or gal-beta, belongs to the class of organic compounds known as hexoses. These are monosaccharides in which the sugar unit is a is a six-carbon containing moeity. Beta-D-Galactose is an extremely weak basic (essentially neutral) compound (based on its pKa). Beta-D-Galactose exists in all living species, ranging from bacteria to humans. Outside of the human body, Beta-D-Galactose is found, on average, in the highest concentration within milk (cow). Beta-D-Galactose has also been detected, but not quantified in, several different foods, such as cinnamons, chayotes, arctic blackberries, oyster mushrooms, and oval-leaf huckleberries. This could make Beta-D-galactose a potential biomarker for the consumption of these foods. A D-galactopyranose having beta-configuration at the anomeric centre. β-D-Galactose is expected to be in Cannabis as all living plants are known to produce and metabolize it.