Digestion of Starch (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Biology)

Digestion of Starch: Extended

Extended Tier Only

• Amylases are produced in the mouth and the pancreas (secreted into the duodenum)

• Amylases digest starch into smaller sugars

The digestion of starch

• Amylase is secreted into the alimentary canal in the mouth and the duodenum (from the pancreas) and digests starch to maltose (a disaccharide)

• Maltose is digested by the enzyme maltase into glucose on the membranes of the epithelium lining of the small intestine