Cellulose, which is one of the main components of wood (about 70% of the total wood together with the other form, hemicellulose) and starch, which is one of our basic nutrients, do not resemble each other at all in appearance, but in fact there is a great similarity between them; The chemical formulas are exactly the same.
The chemical formula for both is C6H10O5. Both are polysaccharides composed of glucose monomers. So how is it that the starch form in the edible parts of fruit, seeds, tubers, etc. on the same plant is the main energy source and can be digested very easily; Cellulose, which is the main support element in the stem structure of the same plant, can be a durable material that is difficult to break down? The explanation for this is shown in the image below.
As can be easily seen from the image, the different orientations of the glucose molecules while they are connecting to each other reveal this difference. While cellulose has beta 1,4 bonds, starch has alpha 1,4 bonds.
Cellulose is obtained from plants and has a wide variety of uses. Paper, artificial silk, explosives, detergents, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, ink, paint, adhesive, cosmetic products, textile products, etc.
Starch is also found in the seeds, fruit and root parts of plants. Corn, wheat and potatoes are among the most well-known starch sources.
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