What is the function of th salivary glands in digestion?

Answer 1

Salivary glands produce a clear liquid which moistens food as it is being chewed. Without moisture the food is like chewing sand. The glands also produce an enzyme.

Most people, but not all, produce an enzyme called salivary amylase which begins to break down starches/complex carbohydrates before they enter the stomach.

A test to see if you have this enzyme is to hold a piece of bread or rice cake..in your mouth and see if you sense a sweeter taste. If you have salivary amylase, the starch will become sugar in your mouth.

Answer 2

The salivary glands are located in the mouth, and their job is to secrete (guess what) saliva.

When you first chew your food, the saliva moistens your food as it forms a bolus. A moist bolus is easy to swallow.

The second thing that salivary glands help with is starch digestion. The salivary glands also secrete amylase, which is an enzyme to break down starch molecules. Starch molecules (commonly found in carbohydrates) are big, and in order for smooth digestion, they need to be in smaller pieces when swallowed. The amylase enzymes connect their active site to the substrate and chemically break down the polymer into glucose monomers.

I hope I helped (:

Answer 3

to produce saliva which helps to break down food when chewing