Question

Look at the following equation and answer
Fats $$+$$ bile $$=$$ Fat globules
a) What is the name of the reaction?
b) Which gland plays a major role in this?

Answer 1

Hint: During meal digestion, bile salts emulsify fat globules in the stomach into minute droplets, speeding up the pace of digestion by the enzyme lipase later on. Bile salts have detergent characteristics, allowing them to emulsify fat globules into smaller emulsion droplets, and then micelles. The small intestine is where fat is digested. Large globules of fat make their way to the small intestine. Bile juice is produced by the liver, which emulsifies fat by breaking down large globules into smaller globules.

Complete answer:
Part A: Emulsification of fats is the process of converting fat into fat globules with the help of bile.
Emulsification, or the creation of emulsions from two immiscible liquid phases, is the most adaptable property of surface-active agents for practical applications, and it has been intensively investigated as a result. Detergents and soaps, for example, are common emulsifying agents. The emulsion ingredients are mechanically mixed in various types of mixers in this technique, which is widely used in industry.
Part B: The gallbladder releases bile juice and bile salts, which are generated in the liver, and the process takes place in the small intestine. Despite the fact that it lacks digestive enzymes, it plays a crucial function in fat digestion. Bile pigments such as bilirubin and biliverdin can be found in bile juice. Large fat globules are broken down into smaller globules so pancreatic enzymes can easily operate on them. Bile juice also activates lipase and renders the medium alkaline due to the presence of $$NaHC{O}_3$$.

Note:
The small intestine is where fat is digested. Large globules of fat make their way to the small intestine. Bile juice is produced by the liver, which emulsifies fat by breaking down large globules into smaller globules. Lipase is a digestive enzyme that breaks down globules into molecules. The small intestine subsequently secretes fluids that break down the fat molecules into fatty acids and glycerol, which the body may use.