Refractive Index of Common Carbohydrates
The table below provides a curated list of refractive index values for common carbohydrates at room temperature (approximately 25°C or 77°F) and wavelength (λ) of 589 nm.
| Glucose (C6H12O6) | 1.6170 |
| Fructose (C6H12O6) | 1.6170 |
| Galactose (C6H12O6) | 1.5730 |
| Sucrose (table sugar) (C12H22O11) | 1.5376 |
| Lactose (milk sugar) (C12H22O11) | 1.5376 |
| Maltose (C12H22O11) | 1.5376 |
| Ribose (C5H10O5) | 1.3920 |
| Deoxyribose (C5H10O4) | 1.4050 |
| Mannose (C6H12O6) | 1.5730 |
| Xylose (C5H10O5) | 1.3920 |
| Arabinose (C5H10O5) | 1.3920 |
| Raffinose (C18H32O16) | 1.6760 |
| Maltotriose (C18H32O16) | 1.6760 |
| Trehalose (C12H22O11) | 1.5376 |
| Lactulose (C12H22O11) | 1.5376 |
| Fucose (C6H12O5) | 1.4230 |
| Rhamnose (C6H12O5) | 1.6400 |
| Mannitol (C6H14O6) | 1.3330 |
| Sorbitol (C6H14O6) | 1.3330 |
| Xylitol (C5H12O5) | 1.3920 |
| Ribitol (C5H12O5) | 1.3920 |
| Galactitol (C6H14O6) | 1.3330 |
| Cellobiose (C12H22O11) | 1.5376 |
| Melezitose (C18H32O16) | 1.6760 |
| Glucosamine (C6H13NO5) | 1.4240 |
| Acarbose (C25H43NO18) | 1.6000 |
References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018. 2) CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 97th Edition. United Kingdom: CRC Press, 2016-2017. 3) Yaws, Carl L. The Yaws Handbook of Physical Properties for Hydrocarbons and Chemicals. Netherlands: Elsevier Science, 2015. 4) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).