Question

How are polysaccharides and disaccharides digested?

Answer 1

Polysaccharides (starch) are hydrolysed into disaccharides in the presence of amylase

Polysaccharides + amylase → Disaccharides

Disaccharides are digested and break into monosaccharides (glucose) with the help of various enzymes like maltase, lactase, sucrase.

Maltose + maltase → 2 Glucose

Lactose + lactase → Glucose + Galactose

Sucrose + Sucrase →Glucose + Fructose

Answer 2

Pancreatic juice contains the pancreatic amylase that hydrolyses the polysaccharides intodisaccharides. Similarly, the intestinal juice contains a variety of enzymes (disaccharidases such as maltase, lactase, sucrase, etc.). These disaccharidases help in the digestionof disaccharides.