Why is neutralizing important when carrying out the Benedict test? When testing for non-reducing sugars, acid is added, then the solution is boiled, then it is neutralized, benedict solution is added and then it is boiled again. Why is neutralizing the solution important?

Benedict's reagent is used mainly to test the presence of reducing sugars.

However, it can also be used to test non-reducing sugars indirectly. For that to happen, non-reducing sugars are first converted to reducing sugars by breaking glycosidic bonds in the presence of acid (ex: HCl).

Now, the next step is to check for the presence of reducing sugars using Benedict's reagent. Before adding our reagent, **neutralization is done because the benedict's reagent requires an alkaline environment to work properly**.

After neutralization only, the benedict's test proceeds further.

Note -> Since, Benedict's reagent is an alkaline solution, so the test solution is only neutralized and not made alkaline in nature.

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