Gastrointestinal NCLEX Questions Related

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If you suck on a plain piece of bread, it will begin to taste sweet after a few moments. Saliva contains the digestive enzyme ______ which breaks down starch into ______.

  • A. amylase; glucose
  • B. pepsin; maltose
  • C. amylase, maltose
  • D. maltase, glucose
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: amylase, maltose. Amylase is the digestive enzyme present in saliva that breaks down starch into maltose. When you suck on bread, the amylase in saliva starts breaking down the starch molecules into maltose, which is a sugar that tastes sweet. Option A is incorrect because amylase breaks down starch into maltose, not glucose. Option B is incorrect because pepsin is a stomach enzyme that breaks down proteins, not starch. Option D is incorrect because maltase is an enzyme in the small intestine that breaks down maltose into glucose, not the enzyme present in saliva.