Question

Briefly explain the role of saliva in the digestion of food.

Answer 1

$\bullet$ Saliva is a watery fluid secreted by the salivary glands.​
$\bullet$ It contains an enzyme called salivary amylase that breaks down starch into maltose.​ [1 mark]
$\bullet \text{Starch}\stackrel{\text{Salivary amylase}}{\to }\text{Maltose}$
$\bullet$ Apart from this, it helps in mixing the food thoroughly and binds food particles together so that they can be easily swallowed. It also helps in keeping the buccal cavity moist. [1 mark]