Final answer:
Polysaccharides are hydrolyzed to monosaccharides in the presence of water and enzymes like amylase. This process starts in the mouth and is completed in the small intestine, resulting in simple sugars that are absorbed into the bloodstream.
Step-by-step explanation:
The product of polysaccharides that can be hydrolyzed in the presence of water are monosaccharides. Polysaccharides like starch, glycogen, and cellulose are large polymers of glucose that can be broken down into glucose units during digestion.
This hydrolysis reaction, which involves the addition of water, simplifies complex carbohydrates into their simplest form, monosaccharides, which are then absorbed by our bodies.
For instance, the enzyme amylase is necessary for the chemical digestion of amylose and glycogen, starting in the mouth with salivary amylase and continuing in the small intestine with pancreatic amylase.
Following the breakdown into shorter polysaccharides and disaccharides, the digestion process yields monosaccharides like glucose, fructose, and galactose, which are absorbed into the bloodstream through the wall of the small intestine.
As a result of this biochemical process, they become available for the body's energy needs or for storage. The end goal is to convert dietary carbohydrates into a form that is easily assimilable by our body's cells.