Question

On hydrolysis of starch, we finally get (a) glucose (b) fructose (c) both (a) and (b) (d) sucrose.

Answer 1

It greatly depends on the type of enzymes used for hydrolysis.

For the ones who are unaware of the term ‘hydrolysis’, bigger molecules get broken down into smaller ones by reacting with water. Enzymes play a great role in breaking down the molecules.

Whenever starch (polysaccharides) molecules undergo hydrolysis, it forms either monosaccharides, disaccharides or trisaccharides.

The end products depends on the strength of enzymes used and the common enzymes are,

α-Amylase, which produces the disaccharide maltose and the trisaccharide maltotrioseβ-Amylase, which produces the disaccharide maltoseγ-Amylase, which produces glucose

People should also understand that enzymes are not some kind of hazardous laboratory biochemical substance. α-Amylase is an enzyme present in human saliva and β-Amylase in potatoes and other starchy vegetables. Starch hydrolysis is, in fact, happening in human body every time we consume carbohydrates.