Carbohydrates Digestion

Starch Digestion

Starch is a large molecule so it takes more than one enzyme to break it down.

First amylase in the mouth and pancreas, hydrolyses the glycosidic bonds of the starch molecule to produce the disaccharide maltose. Maltose is then hydrolysed to the monosaccharide alpha glucose by the enzyme maltase produced by the lining of the small intestine.  

• Food is chewed to smaller pieces for a larger surface area.
• Saliva from salivary glands mix with the food.
• Saliva contains salivary amylase which starts to break starch into maltose.
• …