Question

Digestion of food begins in the

• A. stomach
• B. small intestine
• C. mouth
• D. large intestine

Answer 1

The correct option is C mouth

Digestion of food begins in the mouth. Stomach is the next stop of digestion. Digestion in mouth begins mostly with the breakdown of polysaccharide called starch to disaccharides called maltose. The enzyme, salivary amylase or ptyalin, secreted by salivary glands in the mouth is responsible for the partial breakdown of starch. However, complete digestion of food takes place in the intestinal region by the action of various digestive enzymes . For example, carbohydrases like maltase convert maltose into glucose molecules in the small intestine, dipeptidase in the small intestine breaks down dipeptides into amino acids, lipases eventually convert fats into monoglycerides and then further to fatty acids and glycerol. After the complete digestion of food takes place in the small intestine, fatty acids, amino acids and simple sugars are absorbed by the villi present in the small intestine. Finally, the large intestine absorbs water and other important minerals.