α lactose

α-Lactose is the major sugar present in milk and the main source of energy supplied to the newborn mammalian in its mother's milk. Lactose is also an important osmotic regulator of lactation.

α-Lactose (hydrate) (α-D-Lactose (hydrate)), the primary carbohydrate in mammalian milk, consists of two sugar units: glucose and galactose, and exists as two anomers, α and β. It serves various roles in the food and pharmaceutical industries, including as a free-flowing or agglomerating agent, and a diluent for pigments, flavors, or enzymes [1] [2] [3].

Lactose is a disaccharide derived from galactose and glucose that is found in milk.