Final answer:
The enzyme amylase is responsible for breaking down starches into sugars during digestion, with pancreatic amylase continuing this process in the small intestine.
Step-by-step explanation:
The enzyme amylase is responsible for the breakdown of starches into sugars. This process begins in the mouth, where salivary amylase starts to break down long carbohydrate chains into shorter units. As digestion progresses, pancreatic amylase secreted by the pancreas into the small intestine continues this process by breaking down starches into maltose, a disaccharide. Further digestion by enzymes like maltase, sucrase, and lactase on the intestinal brush border converts disaccharides into absorbable monosaccharides such as glucose.
The enzyme responsible for the breakdown of starches into sugars is amylase (C).While other mentioned substances are involved in digestion, they perform different roles: Insulin regulates blood sugar levels; bile aids in the digestion of fats; bicarbonate neutralizes stomach acid. Only amylase directly contributes to the chemical digestion of carbohydrates by catalyzing the breakdown of starch into sugar.