Polyhydroxy dicarboxylic acids having the general formula
HOC(=O)[CH(OH)]nC(=O)OH, formally derived from an aldose by oxidation of both terminal carbon atoms to carboxyl groups.
Sources:
PAC, 1995, 67, 1307. 'Glossary of class names of organic compounds and reactivity intermediates based on structure (IUPAC Recommendations 1995)' on page 1312 (https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199567081307)
White Book, 2nd ed., p. 142 (https://iupac.qmul.ac.uk/bibliog/white.html)