The function of digestive enzymes is to

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks about the main function of digestive enzymes.

Step 2: Explain the concept Enzymes are biological catalysts. Digestive enzymes speed up the chemical breakdown of large, complex, insoluble food molecules into small, soluble ones that the body can absorb. Examples:

• Amylase breaks starch into maltose
• Protease (pepsin, trypsin) breaks proteins into amino acids
• Lipase breaks fats into fatty acids and glycerol

Step 3: Evaluate each option

• A. Acidify food: Wrong. Acid is provided by hydrochloric acid in the stomach, not by enzymes.
• B. Build up food: Wrong. Building up molecules is anabolism (synthesis). Digestion is breakdown.
• C. Emulsify fats: Wrong. Emulsification is done by bile salts, and bile is not an enzyme.
• D. Quicken absorption: Wrong. Absorption occurs through the villi in the small intestine. Enzymes act before absorption by preparing the food for it.
• E. Enhance food breakdown: Correct. Digestive enzymes catalyse the hydrolysis of food into simpler absorbable units.

**Answer: E.

Exam tip: Remember that enzymes = catalysts that break down food (digestion), bile = emulsifies fats, and HCl = provides acid. Examiners often use these as distractors, so match each substance to its exact role.