Trehalose consists of two units of glucose linked by α-(1→1) glycosidic bond,then it is a disaccharide. It has the molecular formula C12H22O11 and molar mass 342.30 g/mol.
It is present in some fungi (Amanita spp.), in particular if young, insects, yeasts and in the Manna (dried exudates obtained from some plant species of the genus Fraxinus, especially from Orniello or ash-tree Manna, Fraxinus ornus).
In Western diet it occurs only in small amounts.
Intestinal digestion
Trehalase (EC 3.2.1.28) is the specific enzyme for trehalose and leads to releasing of the two molecules of glucose that form the disaccharide.
References
Belitz .H.-D., Grosch W., Schieberle P. “Food Chemistry” 4th ed. Springer, 2009
Bender D.A. “Benders’ Dictionary of Nutrition and Food Technology”. 8th Edition. Woodhead Publishing. Oxford, 2006
Lee H.J., Yoon Y.S. and Lee S.J. Mechanism of neuroprotection by trehalose: controversy surrounding autophagy induction. Cell Death Dis 2018;9:712. doi:10.1038/s41419-018-0749-9
Stipanuk M.H., Caudill M.A. Biochemical, physiological, and molecular aspects of human nutrition. 3rd Edition. Elsevier health sciences, 2012