Explain how salivary amylase works on food like crackers?

Salivary amylase is an enzyme produced by the salivary glands in the mouth. It plays a crucial role in the initial breakdown of carbohydrates, specifically starches, in the food we eat. Here's how salivary amylase works on food like crackers:

1. Presence of Starch:

Crackers, being primarily made from refined flour, contain a high concentration of starch. Starch is a complex carbohydrate composed of long chains of glucose molecules.

2. Enzyme-Substrate Interaction:

When you take a bite of a cracker, it comes into contact with your saliva, which contains salivary amylase. Salivary amylase is an endoamylase, meaning it can break the internal bonds within starch molecules.

3. Breakdown of Starch:

Salivary amylase begins to break down the starch in the cracker by hydrolyzing the glycosidic bonds between glucose units. This process leads to the breakdown of large starch molecules into smaller fragments, such as dextrins and maltotriose.

4. Formation of Maltose:

As salivary amylase continues to work on the starch, it eventually breaks down the dextrins and maltotriose into the disaccharide maltose. Maltose is a sugar composed of two glucose units linked together.

5. Sweet Taste:

The hydrolysis of starch by salivary amylase results in the release of maltose molecules. These maltose molecules have a slightly sweet taste, which is why crackers often taste sweeter after being chewed for a while.

6. Further Digestion:

Once the crackers are swallowed, they travel down the esophagus and into the stomach, where the stomach acid deactivates salivary amylase. The partially digested starch fragments in the cracker then encounter other digestive enzymes, such as pancreatic amylase, that further break down the carbohydrates.

It's important to note that salivary amylase can only act on cooked starches. Raw starches, like those found in uncooked vegetables, are resistant to the action of salivary amylase and must undergo cooking before they can be digested.