When gluconic acid (a sugar alcohol) is oxidized with nitric acid, the oxidation occurs at the aldehyde group of the molecule, converting gluconic acid to saccharic acid (also known as glucaric acid).
- Gluconic acid has a structure where an aldehyde group is oxidized to a carboxyl group upon reaction with nitric acid, leading to the formation of saccharic acid (C6H10O8).
- Other options such as glucose or fructose are sugars, and oxidation with nitric acid would not lead to saccharic acid, but rather to other oxidation products.
Thus, the correct answer is (E) saccharic acid.