DIGESTION OF

FOOD
BIOLOGY HOLIDAY HOMEWORK
XI-A
CHAPTER 16- DIGESTION AND ABSORPTION
Digestion is the conversion of complex insoluble
food materials into simple and absorbable form.
In includes mechanical processes such as
Mastication: Chewing of food
Deglutition: Swallowing of food
Peristalsis: Wave-like movement of food bolus
through the gut by muscular contraction.
DIGESTION IN BUCCAL CAVITY
• Only starch digestion

• Ptyalin (Salivary Amylase) converts starch

(polysaccharide) into disaccharides.

• About 30% of starch is digested by Ptylin.

Salivary
Amylase
Starch Maltose
pH 6.8
 DIGESTION IN
STOMACH
The mucosa of stomach has gastric glands. Gastric
glands have 3 major types of cells namely-
 Mucus neck cells which separate mucus;
 Peptic or chief cells which secrete the proenzyme
pepsinogen; and
 Parietal or oxyntic cells which secrete HCl and
intrinsic factor (factor essential for absorption of
vitamin B12)
DIGESTION IN STOMACH
• The stomach stores food for 4-5
hours.
• It is mixed with gastric juice by
the churning movements and is
converted into acidic pasty form
(chyme).
DIGESTION IN SMALL INTESTINE
• Occurs mostly in duodenum.

• Chyme is mixed with bile juice, pancreatic juice &

intestinal juice (succus entericus).
(A) ACTION OF BILE

 Bile helps in digestion by emulsification (conversion of fat into micelles or

tiny droplets).
 It provides large surface area for the action of lipase on fat.
 It also activates lipase.
(B) ACTION OF PANCREATIC JUICE
 Amylopsin (Pancreatic Amylase) hydrolyses remaining starch into
disaccharides.

 Enterokinin (enteropeptidase) present in the intestinal juice activates

trypsinogen to activate trypsin.

 Trypsin activates chymotrypsinogen & procarboxypeptidase.

1. Proteins Trypsin/ Chymotrypsin
Peptones Dipeptides
Proteoses Carboxypeptidase
Amylase
2. Polysaccharides (starch) Disaccharides

Lipases
3. Fats Diglycerides Monoglycerides
4. Nucleic acids Nucleases
Nucleotides Nucleosides

DIGESTION OF FOOD
(C) ACTION OF INTESTINAL JUICE
At duodenum, intestinal enzymes act on these products:
Dipeptidases
 Dipeptides Amino acids
Maltase
 Maltose Glucose + Glucose
Lactase
 Lactose Glucose + Galactose
Sucrase
 Sucrose Glucose + Fructose
Nucleotidases Nucleosidases
 Nucleotides Nucleosides Sugars + Bases
Lipases
 Di and Monoglycerides Fatty acids + Glycerol
 FUNCTIONS OF LARGE INTESTINE

• In large intestine, there is no significant digestive activity.

• Absorption of water, minerals and certain drugs.
• Secretes mucus for adhering waste (undigested) particles together
and lubricating it for an easy passage.

** Fully digested semi fluid & alkaline food in small intestine is

called Chyle.
REGULATION OF DIGESTIVE
ACTIVITIES
The digestive activities like gastric & intestinal secretions are controlled by
neural & hormonal mechanisms.
The sight, smell or presence of food in buccal cavity stimulate salivary
secretions.
Gastric & intestinal mucosa secretes digestive hormones. They control
secretion of digestive juices.