Question

With reference to a normal human being, which one of the following statements is not correct?

• A. Human saliva is slightly alkaline
• B. An adult human may secrete 1 to 1.5 L of saliva per day
• C. Saliva is secreted by six pairs of salivary glands in human beings
• D. The salivary enzyme (ptyalin) breaks down cooked starch into maltose

Answer 1

The correct option is C

Saliva is secreted by six pairs of salivary glands in human beings

There are three pairs of salivary glands in a human being which secrete saliva into the oral cavity through ducts. About 1000-1500 ml of saliva is secreted per day. Salivary amylase is the main enzyme in saliva. This is also known as alpha-amylase or ptyalin. More specifically, salivary amylase initiates the digestion of starch by breaking chemical bonds and reducing starch to smaller, simpler sugars such as maltose.