View Full Version : Starch digestion
mysterious_nad
Dec 27, 2008, 11:13 AM
Hi it would be very much appreciated if anyone could help me with my Biology homework.
I have tried answering this,:confused: but I need some help to make he answer much clearer.
How does salivary amylase act in the mouth to hydrolyse starch?
And, how is starch digestion completed in the small intestine?
Thank you for any help given :)
Unknown008
Jan 6, 2009, 02:50 AM
My view of this hydrolysation is that the salivary amylase in the mouth has the ability to break down starch. The amylase mixes with the starch and the enzyme breaks the long starch chain into smaller units, maltose. The breaking happens at the bonds linking sugar units.
In the small intestine, the starch which was not fully digested (which is the case if when you eat lots of starchy food, the food passes too quickly in your mouth that the salivary amylase doesn't have time to break all the starch and is already denatured in the stomach because of the acidic pH), is completely digested, by amylase.
I hope I've answered your question...
Hey there Nadine! Long time not seen. I've been away lately, and I just came back. Happy new year to you and your family! :)
mysterious_nad
Jan 6, 2009, 10:42 AM
My view of this hydrolysation is that the salivary amylase in the mouth has the ability to break down starch. The amylase mixes with the starch and the enzyme breaks the long starch chain into smaller units, maltose. The breaking happens at the bonds linking sugar units.
In the small intestine, the starch which was not fully digested (which is the case if when you eat lots of starchy food, the food passes too quickly in your mouth that the salivary amylase doesn't have time to break all the starch and is already denatured in the stomach because of the acidic pH), is completely digested, by amylase.
I hope I've answered your question...
Hey there Nadine! long time not seen. I've been away lately, and I just came back. Happy new year to you and your family! :)
Thank you it has helped and seems to make sense! Happy new year to you too!
Thank you again
Nadia :)