FOOD MANUFACTURE 



37 



carbon and oxygen, found in the compound carbon dioxide, chemi- 

 cally join with the elements hydrogen and oxygen, found in the 

 compound water, and give rise to a more complex compound of 

 carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, probably formaldehyde. In this 

 chemical process, oxygen is left over and is given off by the plant. 



CO2 + 



Carbon dioxide + 



H2O 



Water 



■^ CH2O + O2 



->- Formaldehyde + Oxygen 



chromoplocsb 



This process is one of the early steps in photosynthesis (phos — 

 light; sj/)i — together; tithemi — place: light places together). 

 Photosynthesis is the combining of carbon dioxide and water by 

 chlorophyll, in the presence of 

 light, to make sugar. 



The molecule of formalde- 

 hyde is then chemically joined 

 with other molecules of formal- 

 dehyde to make a simple sugar. 

 Further combining will build up 

 more and more complex sugars 

 such as monosaccharides, di- 

 saccharides, polysaccharides 

 (starch is in this group) . Some- 

 times other complex compounds 

 such as oils and fats are pro- 

 duced. These are often found 

 in cells as storage products. 

 They are again converted into 

 simpler forms of sugar when 

 they are to be used as fuel. 



Sugar is also the basis for 

 the formation of proteins. In 

 order to manufacture protein — 

 a process known as protein- 



nee^e like 



^tarcK 



Clx-cster of 



Cells may contain inclusions such as plastids 

 (color-bearing particles), starch granules or 

 crystals of various forms. 



