Biology Forums - Study Force

Describe the process of starch digestion and absorption.

"The digestible carbohydrates are broken into simpler molecules by enzymes in the saliva, in juice produced by the pancreas, and in the lining of the small intestine. Starch is digested in two steps: First, an enzyme in the saliva and pancreatic juice breaks the starch into molecules called maltose; then an enzyme in the lining of the small intestine (maltase) splits the maltose into glucose molecules that can be absorbed into the blood. Glucose is carried through the bloodstream to the liver, where it is stored or used to provide energy for the work of the body."

• Mouth: Salivary amylase begins to break down the starch.
• Stomach: Salivary amylase is inactivated by HCl.
• Small intestine: Pancreatic amylase breaks down starches into disaccharides, and then these are further broken down into monosaccharides by brush border enzymes, at which point they can be absorbed by the blood.