Salivary amylase begins the digestion of

  • A. protein
  • B. starch
  • C. fat
  • D. cellulose

Explanation

Salivary amylase hydrolyses starch to the disaccharide maltose, so carbohydrate digestion is the only kind that starts in the mouth. It works best near neutral pH and is destroyed once the food reaches the acid of the stomach, which is why chewing time matters. Humans secrete no cellulase at all, so cellulose passes through as roughage.

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