General Information: Raffinose is a trisaccharide composed of galactose, fructose, and glucose. It can be found in beans, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, asparagus, and other plants. In plants, raffinose is generated via binding of galactinol (a sugar alcohol) to sucrose. Raffinose has only 20 % of the sweetening intensity of sucrose.

Dietetics: Raffinose can be hydrolyzed to sucrose and galactose by the enzyme α-galactosidase (α-GAL). Humans do not possess the α-GAL enzyme in their small intestine to break down the trisaccharide. Thus bigger amounts of raffinose reach the large intestine, where bacteria of the gut flora perform the break down and produce gases. This may cause flatulence. Due to its indestigibility, raffinose is sometimes used in foods to reduce calories.