Question

What is the enzyme that breaks down starch?

Answer 1

Starch:

1. It is a polysaccharide made up of glucose monomers, insoluble in cold water, alcohol, or other solvents.
2. Sources of starch are potato, maize ,rice, wheat, etc.

Starch digestion:

1. Starch digestion first takes place in the mouth by the Salivary Amylase enzyme but activity is less.
2. Then it is later digested by pancreatic amylase in the small intestine.
3. Starch is cleaved by the Salivary Amylase enzyme.
4. Amylase first digest starch into maltose, which in turn cleave maltose into two glucose molecule by another enzyme known as Maltase
5. Hence, the enzyme that breaks down starch are Salivary Amylase, Pancreatic amylase, and Maltase.