How does bile relate to digestion?
1 Answer
Apr 3, 2016
Bile is produced in the Liver. It is released in the Small Intestines through the Bile duct.
The enzymes of the Small Intestine work best in alkali conditions; bile is an alkali liquid. When the acidic undigested food enter the Small Intestines, bile is released which neutralises the acid and makes the undigested food alkaline.
Fat does not mix in watery liquids, they stay as large droplets(like water and oil). Bile emulsifies the fat in the food. This means that it breaks down fat into smaller droplets. This provides a much larger surface area for the lipase to act on. The larger the surface area, the quicker the lipase enzymes break down fat into fatty acids and glycerol.
