203k views
3 votes
Which organ in the digestive system secretes acids and enzymes to break down food?

User Xlson
by
8.2k points

2 Answers

2 votes
The tongue manipulates food during chewing and swallowing; mammals have tastebuds clustered on their tongues. Salivary glands secrete salivary amylase, an enzyme that begins the breakdown of starch into glucose. Mucus moistens food and lubricates the esophagus. Bicarbonate ions in saliva neutralize the acids in foods.
User Streamsoup
by
7.8k points
3 votes
The liver produces bile, which aids in fat digestion and absorption. The gall bladderstores and concentrates bile and secretes it into the small intestine. The stomach is a sort of muscular sac that can expand to hold a large meal. Glands in the walls of the stomach secrete enzymes and acids that break down food.
User Dmitri Gudkov
by
8.9k points