Cambridge O Level Biology · Syllabus 5090 · Human Nutrition
Digestive Enzyme
What is Digestive Enzyme?
A biological catalyst secreted into the alimentary canal that breaks a large food molecule into smaller soluble molecules. Amylase breaks starch into maltose, maltase breaks maltose into glucose, protease breaks protein into amino acids, and lipase breaks lipids into fatty acids and glycerol. Each is specific to one substrate and works fastest at a particular pH.
This definition is part of the Human Nutrition chapter in Cambridge O Level Biology.
Last reviewed Syllabus 2026-2028