Which enzyme is predominantly responsible for starch digestion?

The enzyme predominantly responsible for starch digestion is amylase. Amylase is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of starch into sugars. In humans, there are two main types of amylase: salivary amylase, which initiates starch digestion in the mouth, and pancreatic amylase, which continues the process in the small intestine.

Starch is a polysaccharide made up of glucose units linked together, and amylase breaks down these α-1,4-glycosidic bonds in starch, ultimately yielding smaller polysaccharides and disaccharides like maltose and eventually glucose. This process is crucial because glucose is a primary energy source for the body.

Comparatively, protease is an enzyme that digests proteins, lipase breaks down fats, and cellulase, which can act on the cellulose in plant cell walls, is not present in the human digestive system in sufficient quantities to aid human digestions as it is mainly active in some microorganisms. Therefore, the role of amylase as the starch-digesting enzyme is vital in understanding carbohydrate metabolism and digestion.