Question

What is the significance of the emulsification of fats?
A.Increases the efficiency of fat-digesting enzymes
B.Convert large fat molecules into small fat droplets
C.Increase the surface area of work for fat-digesting enzymes
D.All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: You should be aware that emulsification is the process by which a system consisting of two immiscible liquids (usually oil and water), one of which is dispersed as small droplets within the other, is produced. Now try to relate this with the options given.

Complete step by step answer:
Fats are present in food in the form of large globules which makes it difficult for the enzymes to act on them.
Bile salts present in bile, the breakdown of fat globules in the duodenum into the droplets, which provide a larger surface area on which the enzyme lipase can act to digest the fats into the fatty acids and glycerol is called the emulsification of fats.
When the surface area increases the accessibility of the enzyme for its substrate (fat) increases therefore indirectly increasing the overall activity of the fat-digesting enzyme, pancreatic lipase, and intestinal lipase to break down into fatty acids and glycerol.

Therefore, we can conclude that the correct answer to this question is option D.

Note: We should also know that Bile is a complex fluid containing water, electrolytes, and a battery of organic molecules including bile acids, cholesterol, phospholipids, and bilirubin that flows through the biliary tract into the small intestine.